Smith hopes to continue linebacker tradition


The last USC freshman to open the football season as middle linebacker was New Zealander Riki Gray, who helped the 1978 Trojans win a national championship. At 6-foot-2 and 245-pounds, Cameron Smith looks the part to continue USC’s strong tradition at the position essential in stopping Stanford’s rush attack.

“It’s always going to be a good game because Stanford is going to be tough,” Smith said after Wednesday’s practice. “[Christian] McAfree is a quick guy. He’s not so big but he’s going to be shifty in the role and has done a lot of good things. We have got to shut him down outside of the backfield.”

His attention to detail, preparation and improvement have caused many to rave about the true freshman. Though he is wearing the No. 35, as opposed to the legendary No. 55, Smith will certainly draw comparisons to Trojan legends Junior Seau, Willie McGinest and Chris Claiborne, who also wore it. But Smith is trying to emulate a more recent USC hero, Brian Cushing.

“I’m growing out the hair right now, actually,” Smith said. “He is my favorite player. I think that it is everyone’s goal to end up in the NFL, but I just want to be remembered as a guy with great work ethic and a guy who does all of the right things.”

Smith, who enrolled at USC in the spring of 2015 after graduating a semester early from high school, has already contributed to a defense that lost talent at linebacker with the NFL departure of All American Hayes Pullard. This year, Smith has had 13 tackles for a unit that dominated its first two opponents. Head coach Steve Sarkisian expressed his excitement about Smith’s play, comparing the freshman’s ability to that of the former team captain and All-Pac-12 first teamer, Pullard.

“It takes smarts to play that position,” Sarkisian said. “You saw it with Hayes for how many years Hayes did it. And Cam definitely has that, a really good sense and a good feel in there.”

A rib injury to Lamar Dawson, the fifth-year senior who had been projected to start the season at inside backer, gave Smith the chance he needed to impress coaches and perform against Arkansas State — but it’s Smith’s thick frame and nose for the ball that cause him to make such remarkable tackles.

“He got here in spring, and the game hasn’t at all been too big for him. He still has a lot to learn, but I am really encouraged by him. I love his attitude. He is a tough guy, and he tackles,” defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox said.  “I know that you probably think that is a given, but it’s not. He is an instinctual guy who plays inside and who can finish. When he gets his hands on people, he usually gets them on the ground.”

Smith made the 2014 Prep Star All-American Dream Team at Granite Bay High School in Northern California. He was elected to the Cal-Hi Sports All-State first team, MaxPreps All-State Division I first team, USA Today All-California, Orange County Register Fab 15 second team, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, MaxPreps All-Northern California first team, Max Preps All-Sac-Joaquin first team and Sacramento Bee All-Metro first team as a senior linebacker. Smith recorded 148 tackles, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four interceptions in 2014.

“He is a very mature young man and a well-rounded, very physical player, who does a good job of embracing that part of the game,” said linebacker coach Peter Sirmon.

But the former All-Pac-10 Conference selection and six year NFL player hesitated when asked to compare Smith to anyone else.

“There are a few things that we have to clean up like every player does,” Sirmon said. “But he has played very productively, and he has not made the same mistakes. So it has been great to see that improvement.”

Smith intercepted 11 passes during his career at Granite Bay, and he continues to pick off passes in practices at USC, which will surely be effective against the array of hurry-up offenses the Trojans will face in the Pac-12 this season.

When asked about Saturday night’s game, Smith seemed to be eager about being on the field in his first Pac-12 game.

“I think it is going to be different,” Smith said. “I feel more passionate because I think it will be more of a college game, and I’m really excited.”