MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / October 6, 1999

RESERVE – East St. John’s Floyd Smith was looking forward to his seniorseason as the Wildcats’ starting quarterback. With one year as the starterunder his belt, he was looking to follow in the footsteps of Franklin McKinnis, one of the most prolific passers in school history, the player he succeeded last season.

Smith opened the season by completing 12 of his 29 passes for 208 yards and three touchdown passes in the Wildcats’ 35-28 loss to Lutcher. Thefollowing week, Smith directed the Wildcats to a 16-7 halftime lead over St. James by completing 5-of-8 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown.On the second play of the third quarter, Smith scrambled for an 8-yard gain on a drive that would eventually make the score 23-7. He knewsomething was wrong with his left shoulder as soon as he tried to stand back up.

“I hit the ground and tried to get back up but it was hurting bad,” Smith said of his left shoulder, his non-throwing one. “I was hoping I could comeback and play. I was hoping to get back into it.”Smith had separated the shoulder and could only watch as St. Jamesrallied to win 24-23 on a 27-yard field goal by Alvin Bartholomew late in the game. The following week, Smith was on the sidelines, cheering histeammates on as Jarrod Nabor and Randy Sutherland quarterbacked the Wildcats to a 21-7 victory over Warren Easton.

“I was doing everything to get back in,” Smith said. “But Randy did a goodjob so there was no rush to get back in.”East St. John coach Ronnie Stephens told Smith before last week’s District7-5A opener against Hahnville that if the team needed help or a big play, he would go in. That time would come at halftime after Sutherland hadguided the Wildcats to a 14-all tie.

“I felt like bringing Floyd in would give us a boost,” Stephens said. “He’sour leader and we needed him. It’s nothing Randy did. It was just a gutfeeling and it paid off for us.” Smith quickly shook off any rust he might have had, hitting Roydel Williams for a 42-yard gain to set up a Chuckie Burl touchdown early in the third quarter. Smith and Williams would connect again on a 14-yardtouchdown in the fourth quarter for the eventual winning score in a 28-27 victory.

“It was like old times,” Smith said of hitting his favorite target, Williams, on the score.

The offensive line protected Smith in the game as he was hit only once.

“The offensive line did a great job,” Smith said. He added that he was notconcerned with aggravating the injury which he says should be completely healed in about two weeks. “I just wanted to play. Whatever happened, Iput up to God.”Smith came in to relieve Sutherland again Friday night, completing 12-of- 27 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns in the Wildcats’ 57-50 five- overtime loss to Destrehan. Smith also scored twice on 1-yard runs.Smith had overcome obstacles before, including having to fill the shoes of McKinnis. In his senior season, McKinnis was named the River ParishesOffensive Most Valuable Player after helping lead the Wildcats to the state regionals by throwing for over 1,700 yards and 29 touchdowns. WithMcKinnis leading the way, the Wildcat offense averaged over 40 points per game.

“It was pretty hard,” Smith said of succeeding McKinnis. “It was a lot ofpressure because he was good.”But Smith said, McKinnis himself made the move up easier for him.

“Before he left, he taught me some things,” Smith said. “He taught me howto keep my composure and how to be a leader.”Stephens has been preparing Smith for the job since he coached him on the freshman team.

“He told me I better get my stuff together because one day it would be my turn,” Smith said.

Smith, who played in one game in 1997, got that turn in 1998. In the firstgame of the season at traditional rival Lutcher, Smith rallied the Wildcats from a 13-0 deficit to defeat the Bulldogs, 19-13. Two weeks later, Smiththrew three scoring passes, including a 98-yarder to Williams, as the Wildcats defeated Warren Easton.

Smith finished the regular season as the River Parishes leading passer, completing 81 of 162 passes for 1,476 yards and 16 touchdowns. He alsothrew fewer than 10 interceptions, with three of those coming against district champion Destrehan.

“I had coach Stephens in the back of my mind,” Smith said of his ability to make the right decisions. “He was telling me to watch this, don’t do that.He made me not throw interceptions.”East St. John finished the regular season at 7-2 and opened the playoffs athome against Covington. Trailing 17-14 with 53 seconds left and notimeouts remaining, Smith turned in what was perhaps his finest performance of the season.

Taking over at the East St. John 35-yard line, Smith hit tight end JeromeAnderson for a 26-yard gain. Smith went back to Anderson again for an 8-yard gain to the Covington 32 and then hit Chris Bush for 6 yards and a first down. After downing the ball to stop the clock, Smith found RoydelWilliams on the sidelines. Williams stepped out at the 1, stopping theclock with one second left.

Instead of going for a field goal and sending the game into overtime, Stephens elected to go for the win. The call was for a quarterback sneakand Smith executed, going over the block of center Kenny Bossier to give the Wildcats the 20-17 victory.

“Just get over the line,” Smith said of what was going through his mind on the play. “Don’t stop, just keep pushing.”The following week, Smith led a 21-point comeback against Terre-bonne, throwing touchdown passes to Bush and Darwin Pittman in the 21-14 victory.

West Monroe would prove to be too much for the Wildcats in the quarterfinals, rolling to a 49-6 win. Smith finished the game with 18completions in 32 attempts for 232 yards and threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Williams for the Wildcats’ only points.

Smith and the Wildcats look to build on the success of 1998 this season with eight starters back on offense. Those starters include both receivers,the tight end, both running backs and most of the interior line.

“It’s pretty easy,” Smith said of running the offense that contains so many weapons. “I just have to play whatever the defense gives us. Thereare a lot of options. With Roydel over there and Chris, it makes it a loteasier. I know they can catch the ball and can run after the catch. All Ihave to do is to get it to them. And the offensive line helps me out a lot.We would have no team without them.”Smith and Williams already had a familiarity between them even before last year, having played middle school ball together at The Glade.

“We got to know each other,” Smith said.

While the defense helped carry the Wildcats to the playoffs last year, allowing opponents to under 17 points a game, the burden will fall on the offense this time around.

“It will be hard because everybody is expecting so much out of us,” Smith said. “We’ve got to live up to our expectations. But we’re good. We ought tobe able to do it.”Stephens said he expects Smith to have a season similar to McKInnis in his senior year when he threw for over 1,700 yards and 29 touchdowns.

“The big thing is for him to be consistent,” Stephens said. “He hasn’tturned the ball over and thrown interceptions. He did a great job ofstepping right in. He did a good job of learning the system and he was ableto step up and take control. He has a good grasp of the offense and thisyear, it’s going to be better. He is more settled and more comfortable withit.”Smith was named by Louisiana Football Magazine to its “Best of the Rest” team in its preseason publication. But Smith said that he is not worriedabout personal awards and accomplishments this season but about leading his team to the Superdome come December.

“There is nothing else I want to do but be in that Dome at the end of the season.”

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