Music: {allcanada} ALOUETTES SIGN FORMER HEISMAN TROPHY-WINNING QB SMITH

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

{allcanada} ALOUETTES SIGN FORMER HEISMAN TROPHY-WINNING QB SMITH

MONTREAL -- The Montreal Alouettes announced Wednesday that the club has signed import quarterback Troy Smith to a two-year deal.

Smith won the Heisman Trophy with Ohio State in 2006, leading the Buckeyes to the BCS National Championship game, where they lost to Florida 41-14. In three seasons as the Buckeyes' quarterback, Smith completed 420 of 670 passes for 5,720 yards and 54 TDs.

"We've been in discussions for well over three months and have been patiently waiting for Troy to finish his commitments at Ohio State," explained Alouettes general manager Jim Popp. "We'll have to fast track Troy in order to get him over the learning curve of the CFL and caught up to speed over the next several weeks.

"He's here to learn and grasp the game for future competition."

Smith, 29, was drafted in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens. In three seasons with the Ravens, he completed 48 of 89 passes for 558 yards in 14 games. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers the following year, starting five games and winning three.

In 2011, he played for Omaha of the UFL before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers the following off-season.