Seneca's DaMarcus Smith is one of the top prospects in the nation. The 6-foot-1, 180 pound senior-to-be was forced to sit out his entire junior season after tearing his ACL last July. I caught up with Seneca coach Louis Dover and spoke with him about his player.
Smith, who has committed to play for the University of Louisville, threw for 3,227 yards and 32 touchdowns as a sophomore, as he led his team to a 6-6 record. The Redhawks didn't perform nearly as well in his absence, as they were just 4-7 in 2009.
"DaMarcus has done everything he can to get himself back to where he wants to be," Dover said. "He has worked really hard in rehab. He has also worked with his teammates while he has been in rehab. DaMarcus feels very guilty about last season. We had high expectations for last season and he felt like he let his teammates down. I expect him to be a team leader this season."
With Smith healthy, the Redhawks are expected to be much better in 2010. Smith is ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the state according to Rivals.com. He is one of the top candidates to take home the 2010 Mr. Football award. However, Dover says Smith is more worried about his team's success than individual awards.
"We talk about stuff like that," Dover said. "We talk about national rankings and awards and he says that those things are personal goals but that's not the goal that drives him. What drives him is to win a state title. I know he is going to play really hard. He is going to put up big numbers for us but is focused on trying to win."
Smith and the Redhawks will get the season started on August 20, when they host 3A power Central.
Photo Courtesy of Seneca High School
