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Braun: Blame Lance Smith, but don’t let coach off hook
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Last year, Lance Smith showed Wisconsin how much the football team needed him to win. What may have been more noticeable, however, was how much the Badgers needed him to not lose.
Smith was suspended from all of the team’s road games, aside from the Outback Bowl, and was placed in Madison’s first-offender program after facing battery and disorderly conduct charges for getting in a fight with his girlfriend last summer.
Although heinous, the crime seemed to be under wraps. Smith stayed quiet through the rest of the year, playing at home and becoming a fan favorite running back. In the nine games he played last season, he racked up 429 yards in only 71 attempts — an impressive 6.0 yards per carry.
Now, those numbers won’t be present in the Badgers backfield — in fact, they won’t even be in the stadium on game days, and, looking at the games Smith missed a year ago, there’s reason for UW head coach Bret Bielema and fans to worry.
There was an evident difference when Smith was not on the field. When star running back P.J. Hill was taken out of the game, instead of having a quick, jumpy backup in Smith, the Badgers were forced to play Zach Brown, a power running back whose style is similar to Hill’s.
Now, even for home games, the fast-juking, quick-footed Smith is no longer an option.
The first offender program, which seemed a relatively light punishment, apparently wasn’t enough for Smith. After not complying with his obligations in the program, Bielema suspended the tailback indefinitely and subsequently dismissed him from the team.
And after all of that, all Smith had to say was “What I did was wrong.”
Apology not accepted.
Shortly afterward, he was sentenced to 20 days in jail for his non-compliance. Surely, he’s not happy with the decision he made. Bielema probably isn’t too happy, either — in fact, he’s probably embarrassed, as he should be.
While the fault should be placed primarily on Smith, Bielema shouldn’t be completely let off the hook. How could Bielema allow Smith to shoot himself in the foot over and over again? Why didn’t he make sure his offensive weapon followed all the rules?
So while Smith admits he is at fault, Bielema sits back and wonders what would have happened had he paid more attention to his running back’s problems. Would Smith be where he is now? Probably not.
Bielema’s sole profession is head football coach, and the fact that he let Smith slip through the cracks shouldn’t go overlooked.
Smith’s troubles will probably lead him to display his talents elsewhere, and though UW may be happy to be rid of his antics, it sure isn’t happy to see one of its most promising players play somewhere else.
Luckily, Wisconsin has three running backs including Hill, who rushed for 1,212 yards last season even while missing two games. Hill, along with Brown and redshirt freshman John Clay, will try to pick up the slack left by the departure of Smith.
Nevertheless, the fact is the football team and fans are going into the season knowing the Badgers aren’t any better without Smith on the field. Instead, they are wondering whether the three running backs can get it done without him, and therein lies the problem.
Bielema couldn’t stop the altercation between Smith and his girlfriend, but when he discovered the severity of the problem, he should have done everything he could to make sure Smith stayed on the team. He at least could have made sure Smith submitted to all of the program’s demands.
So now Smith ponders what to do. If he transfers to another school in the same division, he’ll have to sit out a year. Some are speculating that he may end up in the Football Championship Subdivision. Either way, Smith will play again — just not for Wisconsin.
Once conference play starts, Bielema will see whether he made a mistake letting Smith slip away. Perhaps the trio of Hill, Brown and Clay will make everyone forget what the Badgers are missing in Smith.
But maybe the running game will take a hit. If that happens, Bielema will have a lot of questions to answer.
On the other hand, the Badgers’ imminent success will make Smith regret what he did. Because nobody could have stopped Smith’s initial mistakes, it will be him who has the most sincere regrets if Wisconsin does better without him.
Jonah is a sophomore hoping to major in journalism. How will Smith’s absence affect the Badgers this season? Send him your thoughts at jbraun@badgerherald.com.
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Where is your proof that Bielema let him “slip through the cracks?”
You put a lot of blame on Bielema with no evidence other than ignorant conjecture that he didn’t do his best to keep Smith out of trouble. That’s not even mentioning the fact that Smith was just a bad kid- he clearly did not care and faced the consequences.
I hope they don’t teach you to write trash like this in your journalism classes. Next time, make some effort to get at least one fact to back up your whole argument.
Does not a sports team coach have an obligation, or better, an opportunity to influence the lives of their teams’ members far beyond the sport itself? Look what John Wooden, celebrated UCLA basketball coach, was able to do for so long with so many players to help them enrich their lives as students and later as adult members of society!
Unbelieveable. Well maybe not. These words coming from a child in a “blame everybody else but me” society that we have created for our kids today. Look, the bottom line here is Smith broke the rules, and law. His warning to keep in line was his punnishment last year, wich in my opinion was light. As a 20 year old “so called” adult, that should be all of the warning your coach needs to give you. As a former collegiate athlete, I along with everyone else I competed with new the rules, screw up once… your coach will have your back… make it a habbit, hit the door and leave your playbook. Thats life, just like the real world, wich college is meant to prepare you for. Jonah it would be a good thing for you to learn this lesson as well, coach, prof, employer, none of them are mommy and daddy. At a certain age (and thats now) you have to take responsibility for your own actions, and Lance Smith, like the rest of us, just learned that lesson.
Braun: normally when I read horrible stories I give writers a couple of chances before skipping their articles completely. You’ve managed to use up all your chances in one, terrible article. Maybe you should have gone to Minnesota?
I agree, this article is horrible. It is not up to the coach to ensure a player doesn’t handle his own obligations. If you’re gonna blame anyone (other then Lance) you’d have to blame everyone (the players, coaches, family, society, random wisonsin fans) for not “jumping in” and ensuring he didn’t screw up his last chance. Jonah you can’t possibly feel as though it’s everyone elses obligation to keep a 20 year old man out of trouble can you? Lance if you’r reading this, thank you for your previous contributions and you’re still a badger at hear in my book. I am sorry this didn’t work out better for you or Wisconsin and good luck in the future. Jonah…stop writing and change majors….