Mt. Pleasant - Wando four-star wide receiver OrTre Smith is in Baltimore (Md.) this weekend for the Under Armour Rivals Five-star Challenge.
I've linked a video interview below. Our Mike Farrell conducted the interview today. For those traveling abroad or not able to watch the video, the following is an edited transcript of the interview. BTW ... Paul also will talk with Smith this weekend.
Q: You went into Charlotte and competed against all those wide receivers with big-time offers and took home MVP honors. Since then you've had some additional offers. You're definitely going to be a 20-30 offer kid. Let's talk about the instate offer that you do have right now - South Carolina. What is your interest in them? What do you like about South Carolina?
Smith: "I mean the educational program, that stood out when I went there. My mom went to Clemson and she liked it."
Q: Your mom went to Clemson and liked South Carolina?
Smith: "Yeah. She doesn't care where I go. I liked it and how they help their students with education."
Q: Now your mom having gone to Clemson and they haven't offered yet - I assume they will - does that factor in?
Smith: "Not really. No sir."
Q: Is she a football fan?
Smith: "Since I started playing she's become a football fan."
Q: So while at Clemson, she wasn't like a 'I hate the Gamecocks' type of person?
Smith: "Nah. She hasn't told me that."
Q: You've got some other nice offers; Florida State, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Louisville, ECU. Was there any offer you received where you were surprised?
Smith: "Florida State. I didn't have any contact with them, then I met with a coach. That surprised me."
Q: What's the offer you're waiting on? Is there an offer you'd really like to have?
Smith: "Clemson. I want Clemson. If they don't, it's not going to bother me a lot."
Q: How are you going to narrow this down? Do you have any visits coming up this summer?
Smith: "It's booked. I'm going to camps. I'm going to Clemson's camp June 8-10."
Q: I imagine that's when they're going to offer you. Did they give you an indication ... come to campus and we'll offer?
Smith: "He was like, 'We can't wait to see you up there.'"
Q: Do you look at wide receiver tradition? Both Clemson and Tennessee have a tremendous amount of wideouts in the NFL right now. Do you pay attention to that stuff?
Smith: "Not really. No sir."
Q: What is it going to be about for you?
Smith: "I look at the depth chart and where it feels comfortable for me."
Q: When do you want to decide?
Smith: "End of my senior year, senior year time."
Q: Any idea where you want to officially visit?
Smith: "Louisville for sure. Florida State."
Q: What do you like about Louisville?
Smith: "They had a wide receiver who said I remind him of him."
Q: What do you like about FSU?
Smith: "I like Jameis Winston. Everyone is like down on him, but I liked him."
Q: No top three? No top five?
Smith: "No. No."
---- VIDEO INTERVIEW: 4-star WR OrTre Smith of Mt. Pleasant
NOTE: Please do not copy/paste or summarize this post to other message boards or chat rooms. Thank you for your cooperation.
I've linked a video interview below. Our Mike Farrell conducted the interview today. For those traveling abroad or not able to watch the video, the following is an edited transcript of the interview. BTW ... Paul also will talk with Smith this weekend.
Q: You went into Charlotte and competed against all those wide receivers with big-time offers and took home MVP honors. Since then you've had some additional offers. You're definitely going to be a 20-30 offer kid. Let's talk about the instate offer that you do have right now - South Carolina. What is your interest in them? What do you like about South Carolina?
Smith: "I mean the educational program, that stood out when I went there. My mom went to Clemson and she liked it."
Q: Your mom went to Clemson and liked South Carolina?
Smith: "Yeah. She doesn't care where I go. I liked it and how they help their students with education."
Q: Now your mom having gone to Clemson and they haven't offered yet - I assume they will - does that factor in?
Smith: "Not really. No sir."
Q: Is she a football fan?
Smith: "Since I started playing she's become a football fan."
Q: So while at Clemson, she wasn't like a 'I hate the Gamecocks' type of person?
Smith: "Nah. She hasn't told me that."
Q: You've got some other nice offers; Florida State, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Louisville, ECU. Was there any offer you received where you were surprised?
Smith: "Florida State. I didn't have any contact with them, then I met with a coach. That surprised me."
Q: What's the offer you're waiting on? Is there an offer you'd really like to have?
Smith: "Clemson. I want Clemson. If they don't, it's not going to bother me a lot."
Q: How are you going to narrow this down? Do you have any visits coming up this summer?
Smith: "It's booked. I'm going to camps. I'm going to Clemson's camp June 8-10."
Q: I imagine that's when they're going to offer you. Did they give you an indication ... come to campus and we'll offer?
Smith: "He was like, 'We can't wait to see you up there.'"
Q: Do you look at wide receiver tradition? Both Clemson and Tennessee have a tremendous amount of wideouts in the NFL right now. Do you pay attention to that stuff?
Smith: "Not really. No sir."
Q: What is it going to be about for you?
Smith: "I look at the depth chart and where it feels comfortable for me."
Q: When do you want to decide?
Smith: "End of my senior year, senior year time."
Q: Any idea where you want to officially visit?
Smith: "Louisville for sure. Florida State."
Q: What do you like about Louisville?
Smith: "They had a wide receiver who said I remind him of him."
Q: What do you like about FSU?
Smith: "I like Jameis Winston. Everyone is like down on him, but I liked him."
Q: No top three? No top five?
Smith: "No. No."
---- VIDEO INTERVIEW: 4-star WR OrTre Smith of Mt. Pleasant
NOTE: Please do not copy/paste or summarize this post to other message boards or chat rooms. Thank you for your cooperation.
