As soon as Wynter Smith hustles back onto the Brandeis sideline, he takes a moment to acknowledge his teammates.
“He’s the one scoring all the touchdowns, getting all the yards but when we get on the sideline, every single time we get there, he’s coming up to the receivers saying, ‘Good job, way to block,'” Brandeis senior wide receiver Grayson Hallmark said.
Advertisement
The quarterback also makes sure his offensive line is happy. Hallmark says Smith will even buy his linemen food at lunch.
“He doesn’t have a big ego or anything like that,” Hallmark said. “He stays humble.”
Other players have taken notice of how the third-year starter’s leadership extends beyond the varsity squad.
“A lot of quarterbacks shy away from the whole team, but even from our JV to our freshman team, he’s always around,” Brandeis senior wide receiver Hakim Frampton said.
Smith’s humility was on display early Wednesday morning. When given the opportunity to boast about his performance last week against O’Connor that ended in him scoring the game-winning touchdown, Smith opted to discuss the way the entire team played.
“We bounced back from adversity and it really showed the type of team we have,” he said. “Especially when the outside noise, the crowd and all that is affecting the game, we put that aside and we just executed.”
Advertisement
While Smith might shy away from talking about his individual effort, those around him have no problem doing so on his behalf.
“Some of the big plays that he had out there propelled us to win,” Brandeis coach Kemmie Lewis said. “It’s a joy to have him out there.”
Smith rushed for three touchdowns and threw for another last Friday in a 35-28 rivalry win over O’Connor. With about 43 seconds left to play, the senior won the game for the Broncos with a 54-yard rushing touchdown. Brandeis was up 21-10 at halftime before O’Connor scored 15 points in the third quarter to take a four-point lead heading into the final quarter.
NEWSLETTER: Get all the latest San Antonio high school sports news delivered to your inbox
Advertisement
“Halftime we were feeling good, and then we kind of hit a little speed bump,” Hallmark said. “We got stopped a couple times, and I could just tell [Smith] was still 100% confident that we’re gonna win that game, and it showed.”
Even though quarterbacks are mostly judged on their ability to throw the ball, Smith’s ability to use his legs, like he did against O’Connor, differentiates him from others that play his position.
“He’s so dynamic,” Lewis said. “Anytime you’ve got a kid of that caliber that can throw the ball and run the ball and understand defenses and understand where those holes are, it’s a great thing to have.”
Smith sees his dual-threat ability as a byproduct of his mentality.
Advertisement
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win,” he said. “Even if that’s running the ball, throwing the ball, taking a hit to get a touchdown, or running 80 yards.”
As a junior, Smith threw for 1,244 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 1,454 yards and 24 touchdowns.
“When he’s given the opportunity to throw the ball, he will launch it, and he’s precise in his aim,” Frampton said of his quarterback. “And when he does run the ball, he’s out there looking like a running back.”
Smith’s production has attracted the attention of college programs like Colorado, UTSA, Delaware State and Furman.
Advertisement
“It’s really exciting and it’s humbling too because at the end of the day, once you get those types of things, you have to keep working harder,” he said of his recruitment.
While Smith has established himself as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the San Antonio area, those around him know him for more than what he does on the field.
“He doesn’t need a lot of push to get going, and I think he brings a different type of energy with him,” Lewis said. “The kids gravitate to him outside of what we do on the football field. He’s just a good person and a great kid.”
There’s more to San Antonio with the Express-News. Subscribe today for just 25¢.
This article originally published at Brandeis quarterback Wynter Smith spurs Broncos on with his legs and leadership.
