Wyoming QB Brett Smith Quietly Plays His Way into the Record Books

Outside of the Mountain West Conference, the name Brett Smith means little to most college football fans. It should, however, as it belongs to one of the top QBs in the country, a man who recently broke several records—and yet few people outside of the state of Wyoming even took notice. 

Smith is a junior for the Cowboys, having been the starter since his true freshman season. That hadn't been the plan, but it's how things worked out. The Cowboys had appeared to be pretty set at the position, with former Mountain West Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year Austyn Carta-Samuels firmly entrenched atop the depth chart.

In a surprising turn of events, Carta-Samuels decided to leave Wyoming, believing that they weren't headed in the right direction as a team overall. With Wyoming's once-bright future looking a whole lot cloudier, they turned to Smith as a true freshman.

He didn't disappoint.

In 2011, his first season in Laramie, Smith racked up 3,332 yards of total offense, breaking the previous MWC record for total yards by a freshman by over 600 yards, previously held by former TCU and current Cincinnati Bengals QB Andy Dalton. Smith had 2,622 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air and another 710 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, while even catching two passes for 17 yards and a touchdown.

His emergence as a powerful dual-threat QB led the Cowboys to an unexpected appearance in the New Mexico Bowl.

Last season, Smith continued his impressive play as the Cowboy's shot-caller. Despite missing two games due to injury, he threw for 200 more yards than the previous season, while boasting an impressive 27-6 touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio and improving his passer rating by over 30 points. His rushing yards fell drastically, but he still managed six touchdowns on the ground. Despite the fact that the Cowboys regressed and finished the season with a losing record, Smith continued to impress.

Which brings us to this season. Just four games in, Smith has already become the school-record holder for most career touchdown passes. He achieved that record on Saturday against Air Force in the midst of another record-breaking performance, as his 511 total yards against the Falcons constituted the Wyoming record for total yards in a game. 

Less than two-and-a-half seasons into his Wyoming career, Smith is already arguably the top QB in school history. With his current pace, it is highly likely that he will break the school record for most career passing yards before the end of his junior season this year. In just four games this season, Smith has thrown for 1,315 yards and 13 touchdowns, while adding another 299 yards and one touchdown rushing with an 8.3 yards-per-carry average so far. 

Smith has led the Cowboys to an impressive 3-1 start this season that included a near-upset of Nebraska on the road. Wyoming looks like the main challenger to Fresno State for the Mountain West Conference title this year, and Smith is a major reason why.

Brett Smith may not be widely renowned, but he is one of the best QBs in the country, and by the time he leaves Laramie, his career will likely be the stuff of legends for Wyoming fans.

It's about time the rest of the country started noticing him too.