Smelley considering playing football at UA

TUSCALOOSA | Chris Smelley is still considering the possibility of playing football for the University of Alabama and has talked with head coach Nick Saban about the possibility.

The American Christian Academy graduate, who transferred to UA after playing quarterback for Steve Spurrier at South Carolina and has joined the Crimson Tide baseball team, would have to sit out the 2009 football season and will have one year of football eligibility left in 2010. Smelley transferred to Alabama last month and enrolled for the spring semester.

“It’s a thought,” Smelley said. “I talked to Coach Saban about it when I first got here. It’s a little time down the road. I have to sit out this year, won’t be able to play for, what, a year-and-a-half or so, but it’s something I’d definitely be considering strongly.”

Smelley will not participate in spring football practice this year.

As an ACA quarterback, Chris Smelley set AHSAA records for touchdown passes in a season (59); touchdown passes in a career (134); most passing yards in a game (565); and most passing yards in a season (4,120). He ranks second in the AHSAA with 10,385 career passing yards.

Smelley posted a 9-6 record as a starting quarterback at South Carolina. He played in two games in 2006 and was granted a medical redshirt. His career totals include 3,210 passing yards, 23 touchdown passes and 22 interceptions.

Smelley is not currently eligible to play baseball at Alabama this season. He was initially granted a waiver, but was then declared ineligible under a new rule that doesn’t allow mid-year transfers to play immediately in baseball. Alabama has appealed to the NCAA, but Smelley and UA head baseball coach Jim Wells said they aren’t optimistic that the appeal will be successful.

Smelley said he originally expected to sit out this season and that a year of practice and a season of summer ball would help him get back in top form.

“It feels great to be back in Tuscaloosa and playing for Alabama,” Smelley said.

Andrew Carroll contributed to this story. Reach Tommy Deas at tommy.deas@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0224.