As the quarterback in Bates' triple-option offense, Trevor Smith is the centerpiece not only of Bates' passing game, but of its highly effective running game as well.
Smith (Malvern, Pa.) demonstrated he could throw the ball in his very first start as a freshman, when he set Bates' single-game records for completions and passing yards. But Bates instituted the triple-option beginning with the 2010 season, and since then, Smith's adaptation to a completely new way of playing his position cannot be underestimated in the Bobcats' rising fortunes over the past two years.
For the fourth time this season, Bates ran for more than 288 yards as a team in its season-ending 47-33 victory over Hamilton -- 358 yards, to be exact, the team's most in more than a decade. Smith toted the ball 11 times for 50 of those yards and his fifth rushing touchdown of the season. He finished the year ranked 10th in the NESCAC in rushing yards per game (60.9), and tied for fifth in touchdown runs.
Smith's longtime backfield teammate, senior captain and running back Patrick George, had 15 carries for a career-high 144 yards to lead Bates runners. Senior Teddy Downs (9-55), sophomore Mac Jackson (5-44), junior Shawn Doherty (5-42) and junior Ryan Curit (4-23) all ran the ball with great effectiveness.
As with most of this season, Smith didn't throw the ball very much -- 13 attempts -- but he was still effective, most notably on a 42-yard touchdown pass to Doherty, perfectly lofted down the right sideline. It all led to Bates' fifth win of the season, as the Bobcats finished with their first winning record since 1981.
