Early Years
At Miami Norland High School, he played linebacker and was also a 185-pound pulling guard during his junior year. He was also a member of his high school track team were he competed in the 100 meters with a personal best time of 10.7 seconds.
Smith was a member of the Dennis Erickson's 1989 and 1991 national-championship teams for the University of Miami. He played strongside linebacker, where along with teammates Jessie Armstead and Michael Barrow, formed one of the greatest linebacking corps in college football history known as "The Bermuda Triangle".
He was a two-time All-American, the Big East Conference co-defensive player of the year as a senior and a two-time Butkus Award semi-finalist.
Smith stayed five years at the University of Miami, the first as a red-shirted freshman under Jimmy Johnson, so he could get a complete education. He earned his master's degree in marketing after getting his undergraduate degree in business management.
In 2006, he was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.
Read more about this topic: Darrin Smith
Famous quotes related to early years:
“If there is a price to pay for the privilege of spending the early years of child rearing in the driver’s seat, it is our reluctance, our inability, to tolerate being demoted to the backseat. Spurred by our success in programming our children during the preschool years, we may find it difficult to forgo in later states the level of control that once afforded us so much satisfaction.”
—Melinda M. Marshall (20th century)