SMU quarterback-turned-linebacker Braden Smith announced Wednesday that he will graduate early and transfer to Campbell (N.C.) University, where he will pursue a Master’s degree and will play quarterback for the Camels.

“I talked to (head) Coach (June) Jones and (defensive coordinator) Coach (Tom) Mason in January, after our season, and asked what my role here would be (in 2011),” Smith said. “It was the same as this year: holder on kicks and backup linebacker. Beyond that, of course I’d help wherever I can and encourage my teammates.”

But Smith has a chance to do more, and he took the chance. The son of Rockwall (Texas) High School head coach Scott Smith has known “since my freshman year of high school” that he wanted to follow his father into coaching. Because he redshirted at SMU and will earn his Bachelor of Arts in English in just three years, he’ll have two years of eligibility when he gets to his new school, which will present something of a culture change for Smith: Campbell has an enrollment of 4,663 students, while the town of Buies Creek, N.C., has a little over 2,000 residents. Smith said it has “a Mexican restaurant, a Waffle House and about five sandwich shops — that’s it.”

Braden Smith will earn his English degree in just three years (photo by Travis Johnston).

“It’s a good school, and it’s in a beautiful part of the country,” Smith said. “I’m going to get my Master’s in education, and I get to keep playing.

“I like playing linebacker, and I like holding (for kicks), but the chance to play quarterback — that’s what I have trained for my whole life.”

Smith came across the opportunity at Campbell through his father. The two visited the national coaches’ convention in Dallas in January, where they ran into Campbell coach Dale Steele.

“Coach Steele coached with my dad at Baylor,” Smith said. “We saw him, and he said there could be an opportunity there. That’s how we got started. I’ve been playing linebacker for the last year here, but I was looking for an opportunity to play quarterback.”

Smith was adamant about the fact that he wasn’t actively trying to leave SMU.

“I’ve loved being a student at SMU and playing football at SMU,” he said. “I love the coaches and players here, and I’m proud of what we have accomplished. It’s not like I wanted to get out.”

Despite his connection (via his father) with Steele, Smith said he has been made no promises as far as playing time when he gets to Campbell, a Div. I-AA school that plays in the Pioneer League with teams like Davidson, Drake and Valparaiso.

“They have two freshmen and two redshirt freshmen playing quarterback,” said Smith, 22, who visited Campbell over spring break. “I think they like the idea of a veteran coming in and competing with those guys, but they haven’t promised me anything.

“I’m going to show up in May and try to earn a spot.”

Smith said he considered other options, including graduate school at SMU and at Austin College in Sherman, Texas.

“At first, I wasn’t totally sold on playing,” he said. “I thought about moving on and getting into coaching.

Smith will spend the remainder of the spring semester training to get ready for the 2011 season (photo by Webmaster).

“But I wanted to get my Master’s, because I figured once you start coaching, it would be easy to not go back (to school).”

Smith acknowledged that a Master’s degree isn’t required to teach and coach in high school, but if he chose to pursue a career in college coaching, a Master’s is beneficial.

“I talked to my dad about that,” he said. “As crazy as it sounds, me — being a college graduate — I might be more marketable for a college coaching job than he is, because he has been in high school (coaching) so long. But I like being around the college game — it’s a faster pace than high school. But I don’t know where I’ll end up coaching.”

Smith isn’t exactly sure what level of football his new team will play, but he is eager to join the Camels and start working out with his new teammates.

“This will be the fourth year with a team there (Campbell competed from 1925-50 as a junior college),” Smith said. “They have a senior offensive line, like (SMU’s), with guys who have started around 30 games. I don’t know their whole roster, but an offensive line like that is a good start.”

Before he heads east, however, Smith is going to continue training to get ready for the 2011 season, and collect his undergraduate degree.

“I have a chance to go after two things I really want,” Smith said, “a graduate degree and another chance to play quarterback. It’s a great opportunity, and I’m looking forward to it.”