The Monday before the SMU Mustangs played the University of Houston last year, head coach June Jones said he felt it was time to get some playing time for his backup quarterbacks, Kyle Padron and Braden Smith, and said he had created a couple of packages of plays for each.

Braden Smith was recruited as a quarterback, but played safety and linebacker through middle school (photo by Travis Johnston).

The next afternoon, quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison was asked how he thought Smith would react to the idea that a true freshman was getting the same chance for playing time that he was. Morrison said that all of his quarterbacks were good friends, so there he assumed there was no animosity, but added that because of Smith’s competitive nature, it was safe to assume that it bothered him.

“But I’ll tell you this,” Morrison said, “he won’t pout or let it affect the way he prepares for the game one bit. Braden still will know the gameplan as well as anyone.”

Less than two minutes later, Smith popped his head into Morrison’s office, asking about which keys to focus on against certain looks he might see from the UH defense. Morrison looked up and smiled. “See what I mean?”

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That he was always so prepared should come as no surprise about a player who is the son of Rockwall High School coach (and former SMU assistant) Scott Smith, and has aspirations of becoming a head coach after he graduates.

Now, after spending a couple of years learning SMU head coach June Jones’ Run-and-Shoot offense, Smith is going to get a chance to learn defense, too. When the Mustangs convene next week for the start of spring workouts, Smith will be working out as a safety.

The move makes a lot of sense. That freshman quarterback, Kyle Padron, went 5-1 after taking over the starting position last year and turned in a performance for the ages in SMU’s rout of Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl. The quarterback position will be crowded in the fall, as transfer J.J. McDermott will battle for playing time, and the Mustangs welcome much-ballyhooed recruit Steve Kaiser in the fall.

In addition, the Ponies lose a lot of talent from the safety spots with the graduation of Rock Dennis and Bryce Hudman. They are not without talent — two-year starter Chris Banjo returns, as do Tyler Jones and a stable of youngsters, including Robert Mojica, Ryan Smith and Jay Scott.

Smith’s position change won’t mark the first time he has played on the defensive side of the ball.

“I played defense through middle school,” Smith said. “In junior high, I played linebacker and safety.”

When he was recruited, he said the only attention he got was as a quarterback.

“I always thought of myself as an offensive player,” he said. “I never talked to anybody about playing (in college) on defense.”

Smith said he was first approached about the idea by SMU defensive coordinator Tom Mason.

“After the season, Coach Mason talked to me and said he thought I could help him out on defense,” he said. “Then I had my end-of-the-year meeting with Coach (June) Jones, and we talked about it, too. He thought it was a good idea, too.

“I’ve always seen myself as a quarterback, but more than that, I see myself as a football player. I’ll play anywhere they ask me to — offense, defense, special teams.”

He hasn't played defense in years, but Braden Smith didn't exactly avoid contact as a running quarterback (photo by Travis Johnston).

Smith readily acknowledged that his move will make him more versatile and better-prepared to go into coaching after college.

“I do want to coach,” he said. “I look at it like I majored in offense for a couple of years under Coach Jones; now I get to major in defense. It’s going to be really helpful to learn the game from both sides of the ball.”

The move underscores the obvious parallels between Smith and his father, Scott Smith, who was a defensive back at Baylor from 1979-83 … after being recruited as a quarterback.

“He was all for it,” Smith said of his father’s reaction. “He said that if you want to coach, you have to understand as many positions as you can, so he thinks it’s a great move.”

The transition already has begun. Smith said his offseason conditioning work hasn’t changed much, but when he heads up to the football office, he has to remember to keep walking past Morrison’s office to watch defensive film, instead.

“Watching film isn’t as different as it is when we draw plays up on the board,” he said. “The quarterback is always on the wrong side. I’ll have to get used to that.

“But really, I think my time at quarterback will help me at safety, because I understand what the quarterback sees, so I’ll know whether I need to inside shade a receiver, or outside shade him. Things like knowing route combinations — that’s something DBs have to learn, but I’ve been drawing up route combinations for two years. So when I see the defense is in a Cover-2, I know what routes the offense could run.”

While playing quarterback, Smith never was bashful about taking off with the ball and absorbing the hits handed out by defenders. Now, in addition to learning and understanding the defensive schemes, Smith has to re-learn how to tackle.

“It’s true, I haven’t done it in a few years, but hitting is just instinct,” he said. “Besides, (former special teams) Coach (Frank) Gansz had all of us doing drills that included tackling.

“It’s just a matter of getting out there and doing it — it will come back. I’m pretty sure I’ll like it, too.”