Donovan Smith

HISTORY — From College Profile

As a Junior (2023)

• Started all 12 games at quarterback (775 snaps)

• Six of 12 starts came against opponents ranked or receiving votes

• 256 of 397 passing (64.5%) for 2,801 passing yards and 22 TDs

• 64.5 completion % ranked third in Big 12

• Fourth in Big 12 in completions per game (21.33) and passing TDs (22)

• 14.7 points responsible for per game ranked 24th nationally

• Seven games with 20+ completions

• One of eight Power 5 QBs with 250+ completions, 2,500+ passing yards, 20+ passing TDs and 5+ rushing TDs

• One of four UH QBs (Case Keenum, Clayton Tune and Greg Ward Jr.) in last 20 years with 250+ completions, 2,500+ passing yards, 20+ passing touchdowns and 5+ rushing scores in a single season

• Six games with 20+ completions, 225+ passing yards and 2+ passing touchdowns were tied for fifth-most among Power 5 quarterbacks

• Four games with a rushing touchdown and a passing touchdown ranked 16th most among Power 5 quarterbacks

• Passing TD (60 yards), rushing TD (31 yards) and receiving TD (28 yards) vs. #24/25 Oklahoma State (Nov. 18) – seventh Big 12 quarterback all-time to do so

• Go-ahead 2-point conversion rush in overtime to defeat Baylor (Nov. 4)

• First quarterback since Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray (Sept. 29, 2018) to complete 75% of passes (min. 20 attempts), throw for 200+ yards and pass for 2 TDs against Baylor, doing so on Nov. 4

• Go-ahead 49-yard completion on Hail Mary as time expired to defeat West Virginia (Oct. 12)

• Completed final 16 passes vs. West Virginia, totaling 214 passing yards and four TD passes

• First quarterback since Texas Tech’s Seth Doege (Oct. 13, 2012) to complete 20+ passes alongside 4 passing TDs, no interceptions and a 75%+ completion against West Virginia, doing so on Oct. 12

• Career-high 378 passing yards against #8/8 Texas (Oct. 21)

• First quarterback since LSU’s Joe Burrow (Sept. 7, 2019) to complete 30+ passes for 375+ yards and 3+ passing TDs vs. Texas, doing so on Oct. 21

• One of 13 Power 5 quarterbacks with 3+ rushing touchdowns in a game, doing so vs. Rice (Sept. 9)

• First quarterback since Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden (Nov. 12, 2011) to complete 30+ passes for 300+ yards and 4+ touchdowns alongside a 70%+ completion percentage at Texas Tech, doing so on Sept. 30

• One of two UH QBs in last 20 seasons with 4+ passing TDs and 3+ rushing TDs across first two weeks of season

• After rushing for 99 yards and one touchdown between Games 3-8, Smith rushed for 241 yards and two TDs in his final four games

Prior to Houston

• Spent three seasons (2020-22) at Texas Tech

• Played in 21 games

• 231 for 360 ( 64.2 completion %) with 2,686 passing yards and 19 TDs

• 132 rushes for 261 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns

• Threw for 1,505 yards, completing 146 of 221 passes (66.1 completion %)

• 12 passing TDs while playing in 12 games in 2022

• Led Red Raiders with 1,621 yards of total offense in 2022

• In win vs. Houston: 350 passing yards and 2 touchdowns

• In win vs. Texas: 331 passing yards and 2 touchdowns)

• Passed for 359 yards and a pair of scores at eventual Big 12 champion Kansas State

• In 2021, led Red Raiders to a 2-2 record as a starter

• Memorable performance as Most Valuable Player in AutoZone Liberty Bowl

• Appeared in 11 games overall, the most by any Red Raider quarterback

• Completed 85 of 138 passes for 1,182 yards

• Seven touchdowns with only two interceptions

• Rushed 57 times for 154 yards and three scores

• Averaged 107.4 passing yards per game

• 229.8 passing yards in games started

• Early in year, utilized in short-yardage situations as a dual-threat option

• Named starter late in year

• Saw more playing time towards the start of conference play

• Saw more time after injury to Tyler Shough

• Limited number of snaps before playing entire second half vs. Oklahoma

• Graded out at 75.9 according to Pro Football Focus

• 75.9 grade ranked sixth overall on offense

• Suffered preseason injury in 2020

• Injury kept him off field for duration of 2020 true freshman season

• Joined Houston in January as mid-year enrollee

High School

• Attended Frenship High School

• Played senior season for Tigers after transfer from Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)

• Impressive in one season at Frenship

• Threw for 3,123 yards and 25 touchdowns

• Rushed for 489 yards and 13 touchdowns

• Only eight interceptions on year across 328 pass attempts

• Completed 64.9 percent of his passes

• District 2-6A Co-Offensive Player of the Year

• First Team All-District at quarterback

• Led Frenship to first winning season since 2015

• Push Tigers to first playoff appearance since 2016

• Previously was wide receiver at Bishop Gorman

• 806 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 49 catches as junior in 2018

• Part of Bishop Gorman program that won its 10th-consecutive state title in 2018

• USA Today All-USA Nevada All-State Team at wide receiver

• Also backup quarterback for Bishop Gorman, one of top programs in country

• Played basketball at Bishop Gorman and at Frenship

• Competed in track and field at Bishop Gorman and Frenship

• Three-star prospect according to Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports

• Third member of the Smith family to play football collegiately

• Older brother, Ryan, was wide receiver at Duke (2013-16)

• Father, DeAndre, was four-year letterwinner at quarterback for Southwest Missouri State

• Father, DeAndre, is Indianapolis Colts' running backs coach

Personal

• Nicknames: Smitty or Donny

• Hobbies: gaming, archery, frisbee golf, reading, driving

• Dream job outside of football: CEO of a major company

• Can build you anything you need

• Hidden talent: juggling

• Father, DeAndre Smith is running backs coach for the Indianapolis Colts and played at Missouri State where he had his #1 jersey retired in 2010.

• Brother, Ryan Smith, was a wide receiver at Duke (2013-16)

• Chose UH because it has a great family environment, great city with great food

• One word to describe himself on the field: exciting

• If he could eat one food for the rest of his life: salmon

• His motivation for working hard: the haters

• Highlight of his life: waking up this morning

• Sports hero: DeAndre Smith because he was a baller and a dawg

• Most memorable athletic feat: his first win as the starting quarterback against Iowa State

• Unique fact: can build a PC