Local player earns top award at Oregon football camp

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Special to the Sun

Incoming Centennial High football player DJ Smith with an assistant football coach from Oregon. Smith was the top defensive lineman in his age group at Oregon’s recent camp.

Wed, Jul 1, 2015 (2 a.m.)

Incoming Centennial High freshman DJ Smith doesn’t start school until August, but he’s already making a name for himself on the football field.

Smith attended the University of Oregon’s high school football camp this June, and was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Lineman for his age group.

The 14-year-old has played on both sides of the line at the youth level for multiple teams, including the four years with the Centennial Bulldogs youth team, and two seasons with the Bishop Gorman Gators.

“He is an absolute beast on both sides of the ball,” said Centennial High assistant coach Allen Burse, who has worked with Smith on the Gators. “On that level of football there was no one that could stop him.”

Oregon Ducks defensive line coach Ron Aiken led the portion of the camp that Smith participated in. He competed in drills working on footwork, hand fighting and one-on-one offensive line versus defensive line battles.

While Smith has also played offensive guard, he says he prefers defense.

“I’m a natural on the defensive line,” Smith said. “I would say my biggest strengths are my technique, my aggressiveness and just determination to get through the line.”

Just three years ago, a defensive phenom by the name of Greg Rogers took the field for Centennial. He went straight to varsity as a freshman, and now as a junior has scholarship offers from UCLA, Arizona State, Arizona, Utah and UNLV among others.

Burse says that Smith’s technique is on par with Rogers when he first arrived at Centennial, but at 5-foot-11, 240 pounds Smith is not quite as physically imposing.

“If he was the same size (as Rogers) I would say he is right there with Greg. As far as technique goes, he is right there,” Burse said. “He still has plenty of room to grow.”

Off the field, Smith says his ultimate goal is to one day be a pastor at his own church. He uses his leadership skills to help his friends and teammates on and off the field.

“Pastors have told me that I have a gift,” Smith said. “It would be wrong to not use it to help people. I’ve always been the type of kid that I will help everyone that I can.”

Smith could jump straight to the junior varsity team this year for the Bulldogs, and his hard working mentality and leadership could make an immediate impact.

“He is extremely dedicated to the game,” Burse said. “He’s a student of the game, and he will probably end up being a coach on the field type of player.”

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