Isaac Smith Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
March 02, 2023 | Football, Joel Coleman
New Bulldog safety working to prove himself at MSU.
STARKVILLE – It's all new to Isaac Smith.
The Mississippi State freshman safety signed with the Bulldogs back in December and ever since starting classes in January, he's been getting his feet wet both academically and athletically.
Don't expect change to bother Smith though. He's just not wired that way.
"I've heard people say you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable," Smith said. "To me, going from high school to college, you're going to be uncomfortable. I'm comfortable with that."
Smith has plenty to point to in order to prove he's not one to be shaken by different or challenging circumstances. The Fulton, Mississippi, native and former Itawamba Agricultural High School standout has been thriving in those situations for years.
Producing as a young high schooler? No problem. At IAHS, Smith looked like a seasoned veteran as he piled up 128 tackles and intercepted eight passes over his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Suddenly, Smith was on the map.
"After that sophomore year is when my eyes really got opened to things," Smith said. "That's when I got my first [scholarship] offer. So, I just really started focusing on football instead of other sports."
The spotlight was fully on Smith. Some might've shrunk under the pressure. Again though, Smith found comfort in the uncomfortable.
As his recruitment picked up, so did his performance. Smith was an All-State First Team member his junior season doing a little bit of everything. On offense, he rushed for 1,196 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also had 320 receiving yards with five scores. On defense, he totaled 65 tackles, four tackles for loss, nine interceptions and forced a fumble.
The attention and offers only increased. Meanwhile Smith kept his head down and didn't focus on the noise.
Smith then put an exclamation point on his prep career with a monster senior season last fall. By the time it was over, he was the Mississippi High School Activities Association's Class 4A Mr. Football. He was also a four-star recruit, one of the Magnolia State's top five overall prospects and among the country's top 25 safeties per 247Sports.
A decision loomed for Smith. He had to figure out where his football future would be. He ended up not too far from where he earned his high school accolades when he put pen to paper with MSU.
"I just felt like [head coach Zach Arnett] and the other coaches here knew the position they wanted me for," Smith said. "It fit me really well. I feel like I could've succeeded anywhere, but in the end, I felt like my personality and the way I fit in with the other players and things outside of football, all this was kind of my lifestyle."
Mississippi State suits Smith and Smith suits Mississippi State. The Bulldogs pride themselves on being a blue collar program with guys determined to earn their keep day after day. Smith certainly fits the mold.
Sure, Smith was a well-known piece of MSU's Class of 2023, but he knows all that's in the past. He's now a smaller fish in a much bigger pond, ready to show he still knows exactly how to swim.
"To me, I love this feeling," Smith said. "When people don't know exactly who you are, you have the chance to go out and prove yourself to them that you're meant to be there. You can prove you're supposed to have the hype that you had in the past. Being able to start over fresh, basically I'd say it's kind of like being born again…I know I have to come out and compete each and every day and earn everything."
There it is again. Smith's words continually reflect how at ease he is when some might be shaken or intimidated. With spring practice beginning on Tuesday, March 7, he'll have many opportunities to show just how comfortable he is in the weeks ahead.
"I'm ready for this adventure and to hear those cowbells ringing," Smith said. "I'm glad to be in Maroon."
Players Mentioned
