Blane Smith
{{Short description|American football player (born 1954)}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Blane Smith
| number = 56
| position = Linebacker
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|7|13}}
| birth_place = West Memphis, Arkansas, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lbs = 248
| high_school = Gary (IN) Theodore Roosevelt
| college = Purdue (1973–1976)
| draftyear = 1977
| draftround = 7
| draftpick = 184
| pastteams =
- Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|1977}})*
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1977}})
- New York Jets ({{NFL Year|1978}})*
| highlights =
- 2× First-team All-Big Ten (1975, 1976)
| statseason =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 1
| pfr = SmitBl20
}}
Blane E. Smith (born July 13, 1954) is an American former professional football linebacker. He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers and was selected in the seventh round of the 1977 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. He later appeared in one game for the Green Bay Packers and was also a member of the New York Jets.
Early life
Smith was born on July 13, 1954, in West Memphis, Arkansas.{{Cite web|url=https://profootballarchives.com/players/s/smit04200.html|website=Pro Football Archives|title=Blane Smith Stats|access-date=April 25, 2025}} He was one of 15 children and moved with his family to Gary, Indiana, around age three.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/journal-and-courier/171080364/|newspaper=Journal and Courier|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 22, 1976|page=24|title=Blane Smith: Boilermaker has style|author=Scott, Bob}} {{Open access}} He grew up in Gary with many of his siblings in a two-room house, describing his living conditions as like "sardines in a can".{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/journal-and-courier/171083997/|newspaper=Journal and Courier|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 17, 1976|page=27|title=Smith-MacAfee duel will match opposites|author=Ramey, Bruce}} {{open access}} He told the Journal and Courier:
{{blockquote|I was seven years old before I slept in a bed. And those beds were crowded. One of us would have the top, another in the middle and one or two at the bottom. We got enough to eat, but not meat. We got our protein from beans.}}
Smith played basketball and football growing up and declared that he would be a future first-round NFL draft selection while in sixth grade.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/jackson-citizen-patriot/171080586/|newspaper=Jackson Citizen Patriot|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 7, 1976|page=19|title=Purdue eyes Big 2 in one-game season|author=Thomas, Ron}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-capital-times/171081050/|newspaper=The Capital Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 6, 1976|page=25|title=Nothing surprises Purdue's Smith|author=Lucas, Mike}} {{Open access}} In football, he played as a defensive end, following after his older brother, Sterling, who played at the position in high school. His favorite player was Willie Davis of the Green Bay Packers. He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School in Gary and was recruited to play basketball for several colleges, but instead chose to play college football for the Purdue Boilermakers.
College career
Smith enrolled at Purdue University in 1973 and played for the Boilermakers from 1974 to 1976. He broke out as one of the top defensive ends in the Big Ten Conference in 1975, being selected first-team All-Big Ten.{{Cite news|url=https://www.jconline.com/story/sports/college/purdue/football/2018/11/27/purdue-football-greatest-players-all-time-who-wore-best-91-99/2063686002/|newspaper=Journal and Courier|title=Thompson: Purdue football Who Wore It Best Nos. 91-99|date=November 27, 2018|author=Thompson, Ken}} He was Purdue's sole player on the Associated Press All-Big Ten team for the 1975 season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/journal-and-courier/171083664/|newspaper=Journal and Courier|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 2, 1975|page=15|title=Ohio St., Michigan dominate All-Big 10|agency=Associated Press}} {{Open access}} Standing at {{convert|6|ft|5|in}} and weighing {{convert|227|lb|kg}}, Smith was named the defensive team captain as a senior in 1976. He was named first-team All-Big Ten for a second time in 1976 and was part of a defense that held No. 1-ranked Michigan to 14 points, with the Boilermakers winning the game in an upset. The Journal and Courier later named the Smith the best player in Purdue history to wear jersey number 91.
Professional career
Smith was invited to the 1977 Senior Bowl, where he was used as an emergency tight end following an injury to another player.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune/171084824/|newspaper=The Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 18, 1977|page=9|title=Browns' Smith Is Early Surprise}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-19770805-nfl77-browns-s/154710511/|newspaper=The Plain Dealer|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 5, 1977|page=43, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer/171085085/ 45]|title=Camp comic|author=Heaton, Chuck}} {{Open access}} His performance at the position impressed Cleveland Browns head coach Forrest Gregg, and thus the Browns selected Smith in the seventh round (184th overall) of the 1977 NFL draft to play tight end.{{Cite web|url=https://profootballarchives.com/drafts/1977nfldraft.html|website=Pro Football Archives|access-date=April 25, 2025|title=1977 NFL Draft}} He signed with the Browns on June 27, 1977.{{Cite web|url=https://profootballarchives.com/transactions/s/smit04200.html|website=Pro Football Archives|access-date=April 25, 2025|title=Blane Smith Transactions}} He was released on August 31, 1977, with coach Gregg citing his struggles with catching the football.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lima-news/171085265/|newspaper=The Lima News|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 1, 1977|page=27|title=Inability to catch football costs Blaine Smith a job|agency=Associated Press}} {{Open access}} In November, he signed with the Green Bay Packers to play linebacker.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-terre-haute-tribune/171085388/|newspaper=The Terre Haute Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 25, 1977|page=18|title=Packers sign Blane Smith|agency=United Press International}} {{Open access}} He made his NFL debut in the final game of the season, appearing in the Packers' 16–14 win over the San Francisco 49ers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitBl20/gamelog/|website=Pro Football Reference|access-date=April 25, 2025|title=Blane Smith Career Game Log}} He was released by the Packers in 1978 and then acquired off waivers by the New York Jets on June 19, 1978. He was released by the Jets the following month, ending his professional career.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news/171085762/|newspaper=The Birmingham News|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 25, 1978|page=23|title=Transactions}} {{Open access}} He finished with one NFL game played.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Browns1977DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Blane}}
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Green Bay Packers players
Category:Purdue Boilermakers football players