University of Montana head football coach Robin Pflugrad has said that Glacier High School graduate Shay Smithwick-Hann will have the opportunity to play quarterback for the Grizzlies. Based on his impressive performance at the Montana East-West Shrine football game over the weekend, Smithwick-Hann plans to make the most of that opportunity.
Smithwick-Hann, an incoming freshman for the Grizzlies, was an all-state quarterback at Glacier. A naturally gifted athlete, he also excelled at basketball and track, giving UM coaches reason to believe he can play another position if necessary. The battle to be the future starting quarterback for the Grizzlies will be competitive, with Smithwick-Hann and Jordan Johnson – the 6A Oregon high school player of the year – considered frontrunners. Smithwick-Hann’s name has also been mentioned for tight end or possibly another position.
“We hope we brought good players in to help Shay be an excellent quarterback and I think him and Jordan (Johnson) are going to have a great battle,” Plfugrad said earlier this year.
Smithwick-Hann threw for 324 yards and four touchdowns on 22-of-31 passing to lead the West team to a 34-18 victory over the East in the July 17 Montana East-West Shrine football game. Three of his touchdowns were to Missoula Big Sky’s Drew Owens. Another Glacier graduate, Taylor Hart, ran for a team-high 55 yards on eight carries and scored the West’s other touchdown.
With the 2010 college season just around the corner, Smithwick-Hann gave people a mid-summer reminder of how good of a quarterback he really is.