To understand Alex Smith is to appreciate his unique story truly. He's more than the first Australian football player in Eagle football history. He's a former professional tennis player. He's the self-proclaimed top table tennis player on the team. He's 23 years old, making him the fifth-oldest player on Georgia Southern's spring football roster. He's also one of three true freshmen on Georgia Southern's spring football roster. He's figuring out college football and American life one day at a time.
A native of Melbourne, Australia, Smith graduated from Caulfield Grammar School in 2017 and tried his hand at professional tennis, a sport he thrived at in part to his 6-foot-6 frame.
"It feels like yesterday, but I guess it was almost six years ago now," Smith said after a practice last week.
In June 2020, he gave up tennis and the dream of playing at a Power 5 tennis school when COVID hit, so he called John A. Smith with ProKick Australia and asked about a workout. ProKick Australia is a club that has sent multiple punters to the United States, including Houston Texans punter Cameron Johnston (Ohio State) and Ray Guy Award winners Mitch Wishnowsky (Utah) and Michael Dickson (Texas).
Smith had never played Australian football but had kicked the ball around pretty well in the yard. By his own admission, his first workout was terrible, but still, the group saw enough potential in him after working with him for a few years to place him as a commitment to Vanderbilt. Amid COVID-19 and a coaching change, Nashville didn't work out, and Smith was left in limbo. But then, he got a call that Georgia Southern was interested and signed with the Eagles in December of 2022. Soon, he was on a flight from Australia to Florida, landing in January before driving up to Statesboro. It would be his first time in the United States.
"I landed in Orlando and saw all these palm trees and different license plates, which was really cool," Smith said. "I was definitely jet lagged at the time, but I was trying to embrace it all as I drove up to Georgia. Seeing all the pine trees and new scenery was a lot to take in, but I've loved every minute of my time here."
Georgia Southern head coach Clay Helton coached Ben Griffiths, also a native of Melbourne, so he was familiar with what kind of player he was getting in Smith.
"It took a while to get all this lined up, but I've been really happy with the trust Coach Helton and the staff has put in me," Smith said. "I love the staff here. It makes it really easy to perform because you don't feel like they will kill you if you have a bad kick, and you want to perform well for them."
Smith said he didn't watch much college football in Australia but watched many NFL games, especially when the other Alex Smith was quarterbacking the San Francisco 49ers.
"The NFL came on really early over there on Mondays, so I'd get up and watch games while getting my morning lift in," Smith said. "I've been a really big NFL fan for a while, but obviously, I'm a big college football fan now."
Adjusting to new surroundings has taken some getting used to for Smith. He said he didn't sleep or eat much the first week here due to the time difference (Melbourne is 14 hours ahead of Statesboro). He also said it's taken some time to feel comfortable being his "true Australian self with my big, thick accent," but as he gets more acclimated, he's fitting in more.
Smith said he has gained about 15 good pounds since joining the squad thanks to the strength and nutrition programs offered but still misses Australian delicacies such as Barbeque Shapes and Tim Tams.
"I've been embracing all the new foods here and trying not to shy away from anything," Smith said. "I'm blessed to have the dining hall here where I can eat for free thanks to my scholarship, so I'm extremely grateful for this opportunity."
Smith, who played lower-level professional tennis upon graduation from high school on the ATP Futures Tour, grew up playing tennis as a resident of Dubai and says he's always been adept at racket sports, including ping pong (or table tennis as the top-level players call it). Smith also said he would soon try pickleball with receivers coach Ryan Aplin.
"I used to play racket sports with my dad a lot, and I also had a Canadian friend who we'd go down to the local courts and play first to 100 points five times a week for five years," Smith said. "Three months in, I'm undefeated in table tennis. Someone came close last week, and I didn't like it. I didn't like them getting that close."
On the field, Smith feels he is improving each day and has already come a long way in three weeks.
"The first spring ball kick, my heart rate was through the roof," Smith joked. "I could feel my heart beating through my chest, and all I wanted to do was catch the ball and make sure the ball hit the foot. Now, the heart rate is starting to come down, and I'm getting a feel for everything and getting really comfortable back there."
For a guy with such an interesting backstory, the reality is Smith is still in his fourth month of college. He's in a new country, playing a new sport, and adjusting to a new life. But all of those things are positives, he said.
"Being an older guy on the team definitely has its advantages," Smith said. "I've grown up a little bit. Those formative years served me with a lot of life lessons that have served me well these first few months here."
