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Utah Athletics Introduces Utah Football Ring Of Honor With Alex Smith Becoming First Inductee
8/19/2024 9:59 AM | Football
SALT LAKE CITY – As a new era of Utah Athletics begins this fall, a new tradition will be introduced to Rice-Eccles Stadium with Ute great Alex Smith becoming the first inductee into the Utah Football Ring of Honor. Smith will be honored at halftime of Utah's season opener against Southern Utah on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.
Utah Football, a historic and storied program, has produced conference players of the year, All-Americans, hall of famers, and Super Bowl Champions throughout its 130 years of existence.
The Ring of Honor will include players and coaches alike that have achieved the highest honors in college football, the pros and in the community. Each season after its inaugural year in 2024, Utah Athletics will add two new members to the Ring of Honor.
"The rich history of Utah Football has been written by so many tremendous student-athletes and coaches whose achievements have given our fans memorable moments from generation to generation," said Mark Harlan, Director of Athletics. "It is fitting that we permanently recognize the all-time greats of Utah Football with the establishment of the Ring of Honor at Rice-Eccles Stadium, and we are excited to announce Alex Smith as our first inductee. His record of achievements both as a Ute and in the NFL, as well as his incomparable impact beyond the field, demonstrate all of the attributes that embody the spirit and identity of Utah Football. In this year of his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, we congratulate Alex on being the inaugural member of the Utah Football Ring of Honor. We look forward to adding many more legends of Utah Football each year to join Alex in this prestigious group."
Each former Ute that will be considered for the outstanding distinction must meet at least one of the required criterion, which includes owning school records, being a consensus All-American, playing 10-or-more years in the NFL and coaching a team to at least two conference championships, among others.
Each inductee into the Ring of Honor also must have been inducted into the Crimson Club Hall of Fame, graduated from a four-year institution or attended the U. for at least three years.
Smith, who is being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this year, was a first-team All-American and a Heisman Trophy Finalist in 2004 for the Utes, finishing his collegiate career with 5,203 passing yards and 47 touchdowns, adding 1,072 rushing yards and 15 rushing scores. He was a two-time All-Mountain West selection, earning MWC Offensive Player of the Year and National Player of the Year by Sports Illustrated in his final season with the Utes.
"I am incredibly honored and humbled to become the first member of the Utah Football Ring of Honor this fall," Smith said. "I want to thank Director of Athletics Mark Harlan, President Taylor Randall and head coach Kyle Whittingham for allowing me to be a part of a new tradition within Utah Football that will carry a legacy for years to come. Utah Football has always been and will always be a part of my family and I, and having the honor to be a permanent part of Rice-Eccles Stadium is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. A Utah Man Am I Forever."
Since his final game as a Ute on Jan. 1, 2005 in the Fiesta Bowl, which he earned MVP recognition, Smith is still cemented in the Utah Football record book, ranking in the top-10 all-time in 16 career statistics. He also still holds the record for career passing efficiency (164.42) and yards per pass completion (13.38), also ranking second in career completion percentage (.663) and fourth in quarterback wins (21).
He holds the school record for single-season touchdown passes (32) and total touchdowns (42), along with the bowl record for touchdown passes (4 vs. Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl) and the Rice-Eccles Stadium record for yards per play (10.36 vs. Texas A&M, 2004, minimum 37 plays).
All of his accolades on and off the field earned him the No. 1 overall draft spot in 2005 to San Francisco, going on to have a 16-year career in the NFL. He earned Pro Bowl invitations three times, eventually being named the 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year after returning to the field from a gruesome leg injury that almost took his life.
From 2005-2020, Smith played for San Francisco (2005-12), Kansas City (2013-17) and Washington (2018-20), seeing action in 174 career games. He completed 3,250 passes for 35,650 yards and 199 touchdowns, ranking in the top-35 all-time in the NFL in career passing yards.
During his time as a Pro Ute, Smith also found a way to give back to the community, developing the Alex Smith Foundation in 2018. The foundation provides foster teens with the tools and resources needed to transition to successful adulthood by developing and promoting education, advocacy, mentoring, housing, internships and job programs.
Most recently, Smith also joined Team OOFOS in the Pan-Mass Challenge in 2023 and 2024, a 200-mile bike ride across Massachusetts. The challenge helps raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
Utah Football, a historic and storied program, has produced conference players of the year, All-Americans, hall of famers, and Super Bowl Champions throughout its 130 years of existence.
The Ring of Honor will include players and coaches alike that have achieved the highest honors in college football, the pros and in the community. Each season after its inaugural year in 2024, Utah Athletics will add two new members to the Ring of Honor.
"The rich history of Utah Football has been written by so many tremendous student-athletes and coaches whose achievements have given our fans memorable moments from generation to generation," said Mark Harlan, Director of Athletics. "It is fitting that we permanently recognize the all-time greats of Utah Football with the establishment of the Ring of Honor at Rice-Eccles Stadium, and we are excited to announce Alex Smith as our first inductee. His record of achievements both as a Ute and in the NFL, as well as his incomparable impact beyond the field, demonstrate all of the attributes that embody the spirit and identity of Utah Football. In this year of his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, we congratulate Alex on being the inaugural member of the Utah Football Ring of Honor. We look forward to adding many more legends of Utah Football each year to join Alex in this prestigious group."
Each former Ute that will be considered for the outstanding distinction must meet at least one of the required criterion, which includes owning school records, being a consensus All-American, playing 10-or-more years in the NFL and coaching a team to at least two conference championships, among others.
Each inductee into the Ring of Honor also must have been inducted into the Crimson Club Hall of Fame, graduated from a four-year institution or attended the U. for at least three years.
Smith, who is being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this year, was a first-team All-American and a Heisman Trophy Finalist in 2004 for the Utes, finishing his collegiate career with 5,203 passing yards and 47 touchdowns, adding 1,072 rushing yards and 15 rushing scores. He was a two-time All-Mountain West selection, earning MWC Offensive Player of the Year and National Player of the Year by Sports Illustrated in his final season with the Utes.
"I am incredibly honored and humbled to become the first member of the Utah Football Ring of Honor this fall," Smith said. "I want to thank Director of Athletics Mark Harlan, President Taylor Randall and head coach Kyle Whittingham for allowing me to be a part of a new tradition within Utah Football that will carry a legacy for years to come. Utah Football has always been and will always be a part of my family and I, and having the honor to be a permanent part of Rice-Eccles Stadium is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. A Utah Man Am I Forever."
Since his final game as a Ute on Jan. 1, 2005 in the Fiesta Bowl, which he earned MVP recognition, Smith is still cemented in the Utah Football record book, ranking in the top-10 all-time in 16 career statistics. He also still holds the record for career passing efficiency (164.42) and yards per pass completion (13.38), also ranking second in career completion percentage (.663) and fourth in quarterback wins (21).
He holds the school record for single-season touchdown passes (32) and total touchdowns (42), along with the bowl record for touchdown passes (4 vs. Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl) and the Rice-Eccles Stadium record for yards per play (10.36 vs. Texas A&M, 2004, minimum 37 plays).
All of his accolades on and off the field earned him the No. 1 overall draft spot in 2005 to San Francisco, going on to have a 16-year career in the NFL. He earned Pro Bowl invitations three times, eventually being named the 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year after returning to the field from a gruesome leg injury that almost took his life.
From 2005-2020, Smith played for San Francisco (2005-12), Kansas City (2013-17) and Washington (2018-20), seeing action in 174 career games. He completed 3,250 passes for 35,650 yards and 199 touchdowns, ranking in the top-35 all-time in the NFL in career passing yards.
During his time as a Pro Ute, Smith also found a way to give back to the community, developing the Alex Smith Foundation in 2018. The foundation provides foster teens with the tools and resources needed to transition to successful adulthood by developing and promoting education, advocacy, mentoring, housing, internships and job programs.
Most recently, Smith also joined Team OOFOS in the Pan-Mass Challenge in 2023 and 2024, a 200-mile bike ride across Massachusetts. The challenge helps raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
Head Coach Kyle Whittingham weekly press conference - 9.15.25
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Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Keith Kelley, voice of the Wyoming Cowboys
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