Football edition — North’s Quintous Smith
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 21, 2018
- North Rowan Football: front row: Willis Mitchell 2, Quintous Smith 3, Kaevon Smith 4, Denerio Robinson 5,Tyshon Sifford 6, Stanton Bailey 7, Jaharion Graham 8, David Broaddus 9, Koby Debose 10 Row 2: Shymek Lyles 11, Russell Bacon 12, Logan Stoner 13, Nasir Luckey 17, Xzavier Davis 20, Joe-Joe Fofana 22, Jaquis Clinding 23, Row 3: Nautica Patterson 25, Lamont Andrews 27, Jordan Goodine 30, Sydney Patton 40, Eli Perdomo 41, Tyzai Lyles 42, Jaheem Marshall 44, Benjamin Caldwell 52 Row 4: Adrian Rudisell 54, Maladhi Turner 55, Elijah Caldwell 63, Anthony Rutherford 64, Joshiah Hawthorne 68, Kendall Reid 71, Justin Hughes 72, Row 5: Deontray Fair 75, RJ Whitby 77, Spencer Everhart 80, Chase Shoaf 81, Tsion Delaney 82, and JD Weaver 89 Row 6: coaching staff photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
By David Shaw
sports@salisburypost.com
SPENCER — Whether he likes it or not, Quintous Smith has earned the county’s “Rodney Dangerfield Award.”
Success has come rather handily to North Rowan’s senior wide receiver, but respect has not.
“And that’s OK,” the 6-3, 190-pound Smith said following a recent practice. “To be honest, I don’t want it. The coaches keep telling me people are looking up to me. I’d rather be looked at like a regular person, like a player who’s trying to be himself, trying to progress and get better.”
He’s doing a pretty good job of that. One year after making the all-county and all-YVC teams, Smith leads a corps of diversified receivers that could soon have Cavalier fans drooling.
“Quintous is not a flamboyant guy, not an outspoken guy,” said North coach Ben Hampton. “He just does what he’s supposed to do and goes home. He’ll gain respect from some of our opponents, but he’s really not looking for that.”
Expectations are high for Smith, who served a tempting appetizer last season. In 11 games he caught 27 passes for 477 yards and eight touchdowns — stats that didn’t make anyone run for cover, but certainly respectable. Included were a 103-yard game against North Moore and a 98-yard effort against South Stanly a week later.
“It’s just the love I have for playing the game,” he said with a matinee-idol smile. “I was never worried about making all-county or getting my name in the paper. I just wanted to run my pattern, catch the ball and do what I had to do.”
Smith is now someone opponents will have to game-plan for. A year older, stronger and strikingly more perceptive, he’s become a big-time yards-after-the-catch threat in North’s hurry-up offense.
“My route-running, it’s not the best,” he said. “But as soon as I touch that ball, this energy comes over me. I’m not letting anybody bring me down. I don’t care if you’re 300 pounds, 200 pounds or whatever. You’ve got to figure out different ways to stop me.”
West Rowan got a glimpse of that in an Aug. 10 scrimmage in Mount Ulla. “He caught a bubble pass along the sideline and showed a burst we hadn’t seen before,” said Hampton. “It just seems like he’s elevated himself. Since the spring he’s become more of a leader for us, not so much with his words but with his actions on the field.”
Hampton quickly notes that Smith is most improved as a downfield blocker. “That’s what we emphasize and what we need from him,” the coach said. “It doesn’t have to be a knockout block, just get in front of somebody so our offense can execute.”
Smith, a solid B-plus student, has received lukewarm attention from South Carolina State, Coastal Carolina and NC A&T. He’ll serve at Willis Mitchell’s backup at quarterback to burnish his collegiate credentials.
“I think the season all depends on me,” he said. “We’ve still got to clean up some of last year’s mess, but I’ll do my part. I’ll get into my zone and try to be unstoppable.”
