Smith a perfect fit for Morehouse

Amyr Smith’s phone didn’t blow up with scholarship offers.

A lot of football coaches tend to overlook players who are 5 feet 8 and about 155 pounds. Even those with quickness and speed and who played every skill position in high school.

So when Morehouse called last spring, he didn’t want to miss the opportunity.

“I was in English class, and my teacher didn’t allow us to use our phones in class, but when I asked if I could take this call, she said yeah,” Smith said. “I made a visit and me and my mom talked about it a lot and I made my decision. It happened fast.”

He’s gotten the hang of his classes and he already knew Atlanta, since he grew up across town in Edgewood and Kirkwood and attended Grady High School.

Smith’s transition to college football has appeared even easier.

He leads the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with six touchdown catches and has two more on kickoff returns. His eight total touchdowns are tied for second in the conference, and he averages 30.1 yards per return, also tops in the SIAC.

Smith, who caught three touchdown passes in his first career game, also threw an 80-yard touchdown pass, caught a 52-yard touchdown pass and returned a kick 100 yards for another score in Morehouse’s 42-10 win over Benedict on Oct. 24.

He has 17 catches for 267 yards and ranks fourth in the SIAC with 108.7 all-purpose yards per game.

“Growing up, I used to watch videos of Reggie Bush. He was my favorite player. If he did it, I wanted to do it. I would have to try it. It was something I had to do.”

SIAC update: Albany State (5-3, 3-0) and Fort Valley State (5-3, 3-0) will play for the East Division title Saturday.

The winner of that game will meet the winner of Saturday’s game between Tuskegee (8-1, 4-0) and Miles (5-4, 4-0) in the SIAC Championship game, to be played Nov. 14 in Montgomery, Ala.

Etc.: Mercer defensive back Jeremy James (Flowery Branch) has forced a fumble in three consecutive games. ... Georgia Southern’s Matt Breida ranks fourth in the FBS in rushing with 1,158 yards and 13 touchdowns. ... Reinhardt (8-0) is seventh and Point (6-2) is No. 21 in this week’s NAIA poll. Reinhardt is one of three remaining undefeated teams in NAIA. ... Berry (7-1, 6-0) can clinch a share of the Southern Athletic Association title with a win at Birmingham Southern. ... West Georgia (9-0, 5-0), No. 1 in Division II, can clinch a share of the Gulf South Conference title at Florida Tech.