Tennessee football: Trey Smith on Wuerffel Trophy preseason watch list
The senior Tennessee football Volunteers offensive lineman is on another preseason list.
As if Tennessee football offensive lineman Trey Smith couldn’t get on enough preseason watch lists for different awards, he has now found himself on another one. In this case, it’s for recognizing off-the-field accomplishments.
Smith was among 114 players named to the Wuerffel Trophy preseason watch list. The award, named for Florida Gators Heisman Trophy and national championship winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from the Steve Spurrier days, recognizes college football players for their positive impact on society off the field.
Given his inspirational story as a guy who had blood clots in his lungs and had to miss the end of his sophomore season along with two full offseasons, Smith would obviously fit that mold. But his inspiration goes even beyond that.
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In addition to playing through such issues, Smith’s story is an inspiration dating back to his high school days. He overcame the trauma of losing his mother to congestive heart failure, and in her honor and despite the injury risked, he passed up the chance to be a high draft pick in the NFL to return for his senior season with Tennessee football in 2020.
All of that alone is amazing. However, Smith was also named to the 2018 SEC Football Community Service team for his work off the field. Amidst everything he’s gone through, the 6’6″ 335-pound product of University School of Jackson in Jackson, Tenn. has always held his head high.
Well, he’s a pretty good player too, considering the fact that he earned First Team All-SEC the only two full seasons he has played, both of which he started at guard and one of which he was a true freshman and earned Freshman All-American honors in 2017. He would have earned it as a left tackle in 2018 if his season were not cut short.
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Either way, Smith is an inspiration to so many, especially in the Tennessee football community. Him being on this watch list is not a shock to anybody, and it’s another example of why he’s such a recognizable person in Jeremy Pruitt’s program.