Upcoming Event: Football versus Idaho on September 3, 2026
Football
vs Idaho
.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
The University of Utah Athletics
Smith Selected to Academic All-America Hall of Fame
5/1/2020 10:03 AM | Football
SALT LAKE CITY – Former Utah football Heisman Trophy finalist and No. 1 NFL pick Alex Smith will be inducted into the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America Hall of Fame, announced today by the organization. Smith is Utah's first inductee into the Academic All-America Hall of Fame.
Â
The Academic All-America Hall of Fame recognizes former Academic All-Americans who received a college degree at least 10 years ago, have achieved lifetime success in their professional careers, and are committed to philanthropic causes. Smith joins Stacey Dales (Oklahoma women's basketball), Bruce Furniss (USC men's swimming) and Michelle Johannes (Mount Holyoke women's volleyball) as members of the 2020 class. A total of 154 Academic All-Americans have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since its inception in 1988.
Â
Smith was the 2004-05 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year in both football and across all sports for the University Division. He earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Utah in just two years, graduating with a 3.74 grade point average. He began work on a master's degree in economics during his junior season before declaring for the NFL draft.
Â
Smith was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2004 while leading Utah to a 12-0 record, a No. 4 Associated Press ranking and an historic Bowl Championship Series appearance, defeating Pittsburgh 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl. He was the 2004 National Player of the Year by Sports Illustrated and the Sporting News, earned first-team All-America honors from the FWAA and Sports Illustrated and was a finalist for the Davey O'Brien and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards. The 2004 Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year, he went 21-1 as a starter at Utah after taking over in the third game of his sophomore season. Smith led Utah to two MWC championships and two bowl game wins, including the 2003 Liberty Bowl. He still holds Utah career records for passing efficiency (164.42), yards per completion (13.38) and total offense yards per play (7.19) as well as touchdown passes in a season (32). Smith will be inducted into the Utah Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.
Â
The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005 by San Francisco, Smith has played 13 seasons in the NFL (missing two years due to injury) between San Francisco, Kansas City and Washington. He is a three-time Pro Bowl selection (2013, 2016-17). Smith started postseason games with Kansas City in 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2013 and with San Francisco in 2011 and was a backup for the 49er's Super Bowl appearance in 2012 after starting the first nine games of the season. He was named Kansas City's Derrick Thomas Award/team MVP winner following the 2015 season. Smith was named the 2011 Comeback Player of the Year by the Dallas Morning News and also earned the Ed Block Courage Award and was named to the USA Today All-Joe Team. In 2015 he threw 312 consecutive passes without an interception, which ranks third all-time in NFL history behind Aaron Rodgers (402) and Tom Brady (358).
Â
Smith is the founder of the Alex Smith Foundation, which provides foster teens with the tools and resources needed to transition to successful adulthood by developing and promoting mentoring, education, housing, internship, job, and advocacy programs. His Guardian Scholars program is a comprehensive support system to help foster youths transition into college. Smith has testified at legislative hearings in California and in Congress on behalf of foster children. His foundation was singled out by the Boston Globe in 2013 as one of the most generous athlete charities with 91 percent of funds going directly to scholarship programs and grants. Smith was Kansas City's nominee for the 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field as well as excellence on the field.
Â
Â
The Academic All-America Hall of Fame recognizes former Academic All-Americans who received a college degree at least 10 years ago, have achieved lifetime success in their professional careers, and are committed to philanthropic causes. Smith joins Stacey Dales (Oklahoma women's basketball), Bruce Furniss (USC men's swimming) and Michelle Johannes (Mount Holyoke women's volleyball) as members of the 2020 class. A total of 154 Academic All-Americans have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since its inception in 1988.
Â
Smith was the 2004-05 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year in both football and across all sports for the University Division. He earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Utah in just two years, graduating with a 3.74 grade point average. He began work on a master's degree in economics during his junior season before declaring for the NFL draft.
Â
Smith was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2004 while leading Utah to a 12-0 record, a No. 4 Associated Press ranking and an historic Bowl Championship Series appearance, defeating Pittsburgh 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl. He was the 2004 National Player of the Year by Sports Illustrated and the Sporting News, earned first-team All-America honors from the FWAA and Sports Illustrated and was a finalist for the Davey O'Brien and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards. The 2004 Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year, he went 21-1 as a starter at Utah after taking over in the third game of his sophomore season. Smith led Utah to two MWC championships and two bowl game wins, including the 2003 Liberty Bowl. He still holds Utah career records for passing efficiency (164.42), yards per completion (13.38) and total offense yards per play (7.19) as well as touchdown passes in a season (32). Smith will be inducted into the Utah Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.
Â
The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005 by San Francisco, Smith has played 13 seasons in the NFL (missing two years due to injury) between San Francisco, Kansas City and Washington. He is a three-time Pro Bowl selection (2013, 2016-17). Smith started postseason games with Kansas City in 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2013 and with San Francisco in 2011 and was a backup for the 49er's Super Bowl appearance in 2012 after starting the first nine games of the season. He was named Kansas City's Derrick Thomas Award/team MVP winner following the 2015 season. Smith was named the 2011 Comeback Player of the Year by the Dallas Morning News and also earned the Ed Block Courage Award and was named to the USA Today All-Joe Team. In 2015 he threw 312 consecutive passes without an interception, which ranks third all-time in NFL history behind Aaron Rodgers (402) and Tom Brady (358).
Â
Smith is the founder of the Alex Smith Foundation, which provides foster teens with the tools and resources needed to transition to successful adulthood by developing and promoting mentoring, education, housing, internship, job, and advocacy programs. His Guardian Scholars program is a comprehensive support system to help foster youths transition into college. Smith has testified at legislative hearings in California and in Congress on behalf of foster children. His foundation was singled out by the Boston Globe in 2013 as one of the most generous athlete charities with 91 percent of funds going directly to scholarship programs and grants. Smith was Kansas City's nominee for the 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field as well as excellence on the field.
Â
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - College football analyst Yogi Roth
Wednesday, May 06
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Utah Football Head Coach Morgan Scalley
Wednesday, April 29
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Utah Football legend Brian Johnson
Friday, February 20
Utah Football Head Coach Morgan Scalley Introductory Press Conference | 1.06.25
Tuesday, January 06