Shout out to Dontae Smith

[stinger78]

This young man has become one of my all-time favorite Yellow Jackets. He weathered the storm and stuck with the Jackets through two coaching changes when he could easily have gone elsewhere to finish out his career. Yet, he stayed and worked and now we see the fruit of his labors. What a team player! SO happy to see this young man progress from a HS football player with dreams and some potential to a GT grad with even bigger dreams and potential.

Well done, Dontae! Now, go out in style wherever your last game as a Yellow Jacket might take you.

 

[UgaBlows]

Can we get him in grad school and keep him around a couple more years?

 

[stinger78]

Can we get him in grad school and keep him around a couple more years?

He has a 6th covid year if he wants it, I do believe. That would be sweet if he could do that and wanted to.

Edit: Just checked and nope, he's done.

 

[Bogey]

This young man has become one of my all-time favorite Yellow Jackets. He weathered the storm and stuck with the Jackets through two coaching changes when he could easily have gone elsewhere to finish out his career. Yet, he stayed and worked and now we see the fruit of his labors. What a team player! SO happy to see this young man progress from a HS football player with dreams and some potential to a GT grad with even bigger dreams and potential.

Well done, Dontae! Now, go out in style wherever your last game as a Yellow Jacket might take you.

I feel the same way, glad you started this thread. Typifies a GT student athlete. I love this guy, and Jaylon King as well off this team.

 

[Ramble1885]

He and Dylan Leonard are two Jackets I will dearly miss.

 

[Root4GT]

He and Dylan Leonard are two Jackets I will dearly miss.

Yea they both really made a difference this year! Very happy both get to experience a Bow; game!

 

[bobongo]

I'm betting Dontae goes out in style with a great bowl game.

By my calculations, he needs 89 more for 2,000 all-purpose yards in his Tech career:

Dontae Smith - Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Running Back - ESPN

View the profile of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Running Back Dontae Smith on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

 

[Techster]

He and Dylan Leonard are two Jackets I will dearly miss.

Dyland Leonard was a walk on. LOVE his story. Remember, his high school teammate Jordan Yates was the much ballyhooed signee and Leonard had a much better career.

You just never know how it turns out sometimes.

 

[RamblinRed]

He was a big part of why our offense played well down the stretch.

He runs so hard, I also felt like Jamal Haynes ran harder and was more willing to run inside after Smith returned.

 

[stinger78]

Who would have thought that with the likes of Jam Griffin and Jamyr Gibbs recruited on top of him that at this point it would be him that we celebrate? A wonderful story of perseverance - the Tech way.

 

[slugboy]

Let’s see him have a one of those bowls like the old Humanitarian bowl where he sets a single game rushing record. Hopefully, he goes out in gaudy style

 

[Bogey]

Dyland Leonard was a walk on. LOVE his story. Remember, his high school teammate Jordan Yates was the much ballyhooed signee and Leonard had a much better career.

You just never know how it turns out sometimes.

Yep, Dylan needs some love also. He is an amazing young man for all he has accomplished and represents GT well.

 

[jojatk]

Who would have thought that with the likes of Jam Griffin and Jamyr Gibbs recruited on top of him that at this point it would be him that we celebrate? A wonderful story of perseverance - the Tech way.

He is a wonderful story of perseverance. And actually a lot of people on here (and other boards) have really liked Dontae from the first time we all saw him play and didn't most of us expect him to be a big contributor this year?

 

[jgtengineer]

Dyland Leonard was a walk on. LOVE his story. Remember, his high school teammate Jordan Yates was the much ballyhooed signee and Leonard had a much better career.

You just never know how it turns out sometimes.

Yates would have been great in Johnsons offense.

He also could have been good in an offense of someone with a pulse that knew what to do with him.

 

[GT05]

Damn good one, baller

 

[GaTech4ever]

Dontae Smith is the type of kid who we as GT alumni need to ensure is set up with a solid job (if he doesn’t play pro football) after graduation. I’ve already seen the discipline, character, teamwork, work-ethic, etc. to know I’d want him on my team.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Dontae Smith is the type of kid who we as GT alumni need to ensure is set up with a solid job (if he doesn’t play pro football) after graduation. I’ve already seen the discipline, character, teamwork, work-ethic, etc. to know I’d want him on my team.

And loyalty. I believe a young man like this will be successful, but yes, it's always good if someone can help "kickstart" the opportunities.

 

[stinger78]

Dontae Smith is the type of kid who we as GT alumni need to ensure is set up with a solid job (if he doesn’t play pro football) after graduation. I’ve already seen the discipline, character, teamwork, work-ethic, etc. to know I’d want him on my team.

Not sure what his major is, or was, but he has shown the grit and toughness needed to succeed in life. I agree. If he’s not headed to the League then some GT alum should offer the young man a job. You can’t buy what we have already seen in him today.

ETA: Dontae has a BS BA degree. Conferred in December 2022.

 

[takethepoints]

Yates would have been great in Johnsons offense.

He also could have been good in an offense of someone with a pulse that knew what to do with him.

Dontae too, He was in line to start at AB and would have been a great on.

 

[alagold]

Yep, he was a real asset.I would like another bull like him to come in somehow.