Trent Smith's Football Diary

December 19, 2002 - The Big 12 Championship game was awesome. I couldn't have picked a better way to end my Big 12 career. Reliant Stadium was huge and had a great atmosphere. I was just happy to see some of my fellow seniors - Nate, Quentin Griffin and Antwone Savage - go out with good games. Now we're looking forward to the Rose Bowl.

Since we got back from Houston, and up until this Saturday, the coaching staff has been busy recruiting. When recruits come to campus for their official visits they are matched up with a current team member who shows them around town. We try and take them to places with a lot of football players and maybe a couple of pretty girls. Really we just try to make them feel comfortable.

I remember my recruiting trip as a high school senior. I was just happy to be here and was more concerned with getting to know the coaches. My host was Bubba Burcham and he took Rocky Calmus and I bowling. We bonded as a class on that trip. I think everyone who was here signed. It was quite a class as I look back. Roy Williams, Andre Woolfolk, Frank Romero and Curtis Fagan were also on that trip. Some people weren't happy with John Blake when he left but he definitely left some talent to work with.

My graduation last weekend was sweet! It was cool despite the fact that it wasn't as formal as the spring ceremony. Nate and I were able to sit by each other. Somehow we ended up in the very first row, front and center, so we had to pay attention. We were just happy because we were missing part of practice, we were graduating and we knew we were done with school.

Nate was the very first name announced at the graduation and everybody in the crowd clapped for him. He got a huge ovation, which was awesome. Somehow I ended up at the very end of the aviation management line. So I was the last person to graduate in December. I was amazed when I got a cheer from everyone there as well. I don't know if everyone there was a football fan but it was cool to hear them cheer for Nate and I. The fact that they recognized us was nice icing on the cake.

The Rose Bowl has a lot of tradition and it is exciting for me because OU has never been a part of it. We can leave as the first team in Oklahoma history with "Rose Bowl Champion" on its list of accomplishments. It is one more accolade that my classmates and I can leave as a trademark on this program.

I have never been to California and the fact that some people aren't excited about a Big 12 team being in the Rose Bowl makes it even more fun. We have the opportunity to go out there and take something a lot of people in the media don't want us to have. As a team we always get excited about situations similar to this and look forward to the challenge.

Part of the package with going to any bowl game is visiting local attractions. We get to go to Jay Leno and Disneyland. Some people might think I am deprived because my family and I have never been to Disneyland or Disney World. When you have a bunch of football players in an amusement park, it is bound to be fun. I am really excited about seeing a couple close friends and former teammates who play for the San Diego Chargers - Stephen Alexander and Josh Norman. They're going to try and make it up to Pasadena to see the team. Josh and I have already made plans. Stephen has a family, so his schedule isn't quite as free.

We leave for Pasadena on Christmas day, which bothers a lot of guys on the team. Whatever the staff tells me to do, I am ready to do. What good is griping about it going to do for me? I am done with my career on January 2nd. My family lives close, so I see them all the time. My parents were around so much that I never became home sick in college. For other guys who might only get to go home a couple times a year, missing part of Christmas day is a bigger deal.

Thanks for reading my journal again. If I get the chance while out in Pasadena, I will try to sit down and write a preview to the "Grandaddy of Them All." I will check in and close out my journal after the New Year, as well. Have a wonderful holiday season and cheer loudly on New Year's Day.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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