Mountaineer Football: Comparing Geno Smith to Other First-Year Signal Callers

Study and research will often show people things that they did not realize, things that will make them think differently than they originally would have. I enjoy research, especially when it comes to Mountaineer football. When I come across something that stands out to me or a fact that someone else may have overlooked I like to get it out there and let others see it when possible.

Recently, in what little spare time the Army has given to me, I decided to research how Geno Smith compared to other first-year starting quarterbacks for West Virginia. To keep it as relevant as possible I have decided to use the last four first-year starting quarterbacks as well as a few of the most legendary in WVU history.

Smith played in five games in 2009 including playing the majority of the Marshall game and the Gator Bowl against Florida State when Jarrett Brown went down. 

1982 Jeff Hostetler

First Season as Starter: 1982

Head Coach: Don Nehlen

Team Record in First Season: 9-3 Geno: 9-4

Games Played: 12 Geno: 13

Passing Yards: 1916 yards Geno: 2,763 yards

Rushing Yards: 79 yards Geno: 217 yards

Total Yards: 1995 yards Geno: 2980 yards

Touchdowns: 14 Geno: 24

Interceptions: 7 Geno: 7

Completions: 137 of 292 Geno: 241 of 372

Season Notes: Defeated No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 19 Boston College. Lost to No. 2 PITT and No. 9 Penn State.  

Geno: Led the team to an OT comeback win over Marshall in Huntington to make WVU 10-0 against the Herd. Lost to No. 14 LSU.

Bowl Game: Lost to Florida State in the Gator Bowl.

Geno: Lost to NC State in the Champs Sports Bowl.

1987 Major Harris

First Season as Starter: 1987

Head Coach: Don Nehlen

Team Record in First Season: 6-6 Geno: 9-4

Games Played: 12 Geno: 13

Passing Yards: 1200 yards Geno: 2,763 yards

Rushing Yards: 615 yards Geno: 217 yards

Total Yards: 1815 yards Geno: 2980 yards

Touchdowns: 16 Geno: 24

Interceptions: 8 Geno: 7

Completions: 77 of 155 Geno: 241 of 372

Season Notes: Lost to No. 5 Ohio State, No. 18 Penn State, No. 6 Syracuse, Maryland and PITT. 

Geno: Lost to No. 14 LSU, led the team to an OT comeback win over Marshall in Huntington to make WVU 10-0 against the Herd.

Bowl Game: Lost to No. 11 Oklahoma State

Geno: Lost to NC State in the Champs Sports Bowl.

1997 Marc Bulger

First Season as Starter: 1997

Head Coach: Don Nehlen

Team Record in First Season: 7-5 Geno: 9-4

Games Played: 12 Geno: 13

Passing Yards: 2,465 yards Geno: 2,763 yards

Rushing Yards: -93 yards Geno: 217 yards

Total Yards: 2372 yards Geno: 2980 yards

Touchdowns: 16 Geno: 24

Interceptions: 10 Geno: 7

Completions: 192 of 323 Geno: 241 of 372

Season Notes: Defeated No. 19 Virginia Tech

Geno: Lost to No. 14 LSU. Led the team to an OT comeback win over Marshall in Huntington to make WVU 10-0 against the Herd.

Bowl Game: None.

Geno: Lost to NC State in the Champs Sports Bowl.

2002 Rasheed Marshall

First Season as Starter: 2002

Head Coach: Rich Rodriguez

Team Record: 9-4 Geno: 9-4

Games Played: 13 Geno: 13

Passing Yards: 1616 yards Geno: 2763 yards

Rushing Yards: 666 yards on 173 attempts Geno: 217 yards

Total Yards: 2282 yards Geno: 2980 yards

Touchdowns: 22, 13 rushing and 9 passing Geno: 24

Interceptions: 5 Geno: 7

Completions: 139 of 259 Geno: 241 of 372

Bowl Game: Lost to Virginia in the Continental Tire Bowl 22-48

Geno: Lost to NC State in Champs Sports Bowl

2005 Pat White

First Season as Starter: 2005

Head Coach: Rich Rodriguez

Team Record in First Season: 11-1 Geno: 9-4

Games Played: 12 Geno: 13

Passing Yards: 828 yards Geno: 2,763 yards

Rushing Yards: 952 yards Geno: 217 yards

Total Yards: 1780 yards Geno: 2980 yards

Touchdowns: 15 Geno: 24

Interceptions:  5 Geno: 7

Completions: 65 of 114 Geno: 241 of 372

Season Notes: Lost to No. 3 Virginia Tech and defeated No. 19 Louisville 

Geno: Lead the team to an OT comeback win over Marshall in Huntington to make WVU 10-0 against the Herd.

Bowl Game: Defeated No. 8 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl

Geno: Lost to NC State in the Champs Sports Bowl

2009 Jarrett Brown

First Season as Starter: 2009

Head Coach: Bill Stewart

Team Record in First Season: 9-4 Geno: 9-4

Games Played: 13 Geno: 13

Passing Yards: 2144 yards  Geno: 2,763 yards

Rushing Yards: 466 yards Geno: 217 yards

Total Yards: 2610 yards Geno: 2980 yards

Touchdowns: 17 Geno: 24

Interceptions: 9 Geno: 7

Completions: 187 of 296 Geno: 241 of 372

Season Notes: Lost to No. 5 Cincinnati

Geno: Lead the team to an OT comeback win over Marshall in Huntington to make WVU 10-0 against the Herd.

Bowl Game: Lost to Florida State in Gator Bowl

Geno: Lost to NC State in the Champs Sports Bowl

In Conclusion

In conclusion we see that Geno Smith is very capable of being the next great WVU quarterback. His statistics are better than most of his predecessors during their first seasons.

However one single thing stands out to me as different in Smith's stats, that is his quality of opponents. I think we can agree that Geno did not face the same kind of opponents that Major Harris, Pat White or Jeff Hostetler did.

If Geno can defeat LSU during the 2011 season I think it will help, however 2011 LSU is not 1982 Oklahoma or 2005 Georgia. Only time will tell how successful Geno will be, let's hope time is good to him.