For most Division I college quarterbacks, high school was a time where dominance was easy and attention came from every angle imaginable. Duke's starting quarterback Adam Smith had a decidedly different route.
Smith was a baseball player throughout his youth, and at the beginning of his high school career his sole emphasis was on the diamond. At the end of his freshman year, the junior varsity team lost its quarterback in spring practice. Noticing Smith's height and throwing ability, a baseball coach encouraged him to try out for the football team.
Smith had his first quarterbacking experience as a sophomore for the junior varsity team at Miramonte High School in Orinda, Cal., and it was apparent that he had a real future in the pocket. The natural progression was to be the starter for the varsity team, but there was another quarterback that was to have a significant career: Ken Dorsey.
Smith spent his junior season mostly on the bench, backing up Dorsey, now the starting quarterback for the Miami Hurricanes, last year's national champions and this year's top-ranked team.
College recruiting was not a lost cause, however, for Smith, for the brief times he did get to play, he showed he had real talent.
"There were so many schools out there watching [Dorsey] that some took some notice in me, as well," Smith said. "Some of [my] recruiting got done through him being as good as he was."
The scouts who came to see Dorsey in practice noticed Smith as well. This was the main way that Duke head coach Carl Franks first became acquainted with him.
"We had some tape on him from practice," Franks said.
Recruiting was not at the level Smith wanted, though, and he knew he would have to market himself as best as he possibly could during his senior season, when he would be the star after Dorsey's graduation.
Over winter break of his junior year, Smith sent letters to colleges across the country, including Duke, letting them know about his situation.
"I had to send out letters informing [colleges] about this person, being me, that was sitting behind Kenny Dorsey, who felt he was a pretty good quarterback and wanted to play in college," Smith said.
The letters encouraged many recruiters to come to spring practice at Miramonte High School, but there continued to be obstacles for scouts to evaluate Smith. Smith was still playing baseball, and only was able to practice football for only one full day.
Luckily, Ben Bennett, who was Duke's quarterbacks coach at the time, was in attendance, and liked what he saw in Smith. The two talked a few times, and Smith began to seriously consider Duke.
Once baseball ended, Smith immediately focused on football and was named offensive MVP at Reno Football Camp in Reno, Nev. Smith continued to call Duke in the summer, and he came down to visit training camp. Smith fell in love with Duke, and two days after his visit, he committed to the program.
"I came out here and watched freshman practice [and] loved it," Smith said. "I went back home, and two days later I committed."
Smith returned to California for his great senior season, in which he finished with 2,687 yards and 28 touchdowns. His team compiled an 8-3 record, good enough to win the league championship and an appearance in the state playoffs. Smith was named first team All-California and rated one of the ten best quarterbacks in California by the recruiting service Rivals100.com.
Realizing that he needed to hone his quarterbacking skills before coming to Duke, Smith declined to play baseball his senior year.
"I did a lot or working out and running for football," Smith said.
Still, Smith came to camp as a freshman undersized, and lacking some skills.
"He looked like an out-of-bounds pole on a golf course," Duke head coach Carl Franks joked about Smith's skinniness as a freshman.
Though Smith acknowledges that he is surprised with the path his football career has taken, Franks noted that he was confident from the beginning in Smith's ability to succeed.
"There's been a lot of good players that have been backups to outstanding players," Franks said.
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