On The Playing Field Or Chess Board, Smith Focuses On Improvement

By John Brice
Special Contributor

When Chris Smith has wrapped up football and the classes that comprise his 17-hour, graduate-student obligations on campus at Notre Dame, he descends to his apartment for one of two – oftentimes both – entertainment options.

Studying video, of the Irish’s own games and practice or that of its opposition, or launching an app on Smith’s phone.

To play chess.

“I love playing chess,” said Smith, Notre Dame’s boulder-built Harvard-transfer defensive tackle. “I usually play chess every week, usually play every couple days; I’m on the chess app and play random players. It’s been cool.

“I’ve been playing chess probably since I was in middle school or elementary. I’m not that good, but in terms of football, I think the big-picture tactics and just strategy of football, it helps. It’s important. I think for me as a D-lineman there’s only so much that can go into it, but it’s definitely a connection there. I think sometimes it makes what we’re trying to do as a defense against an opposing offense a little easier to digest.”

Smith’s latest gridiron-maneuver has been to position himself for an increased role within the defense for the Irish, who host intersectional rival Stanford Saturday night inside Notre Dame Stadium (7:30, NBC).

“It’s never easy when guys transfer in,” said Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden. “They’re learning all new techniques and new nomenclature. I really feel like he’s settling in right now. So, I’m excited about the direction that he’s going. He’s really a strong inside-presence.

“He’s a big, physical presence. He can anchor in and it takes two (offensive linemen) to get him off the ball a lot. Him, Gabe (Rubio), Jayson (Ademilola) … hopefully we get Howard (Cross) back and have a nice little rotation in there. But Chris will do exactly what we ask him to do. It’s an unbelievable quality, and he’s really trying to do the technique perfectly.”

From his decorated career at Harvard, which included All-Ivy League honors in 2021, Smith had shown enough on his game video to catch the attention of the Notre Dame coaching staff when he elected to become a graduate-transfer for his final season of college football.

It’s been what Smith, who’s appeared in all five games and tallied seven tackles, has delivered since arriving at Notre Dame earlier this year – his first-ever time on the hallowed campus – that answered even more questions for coach Marcus Freeman.

“You still had questions, right? The competition from Harvard to Notre Dame is a little bit different,” Freeman said. “Could he do it at this level? He showed from day one of getting here that Chris Smith can play football at the level we need him to play at Notre Dame. He’s doing a really good job with more opportunities he’s gaining because of the way he’s been practicing.

“Now, you’re seeing him perform in games at a high level. He played more in this last game against BYU than he ever had. He’ll continue to play more because he’s doing a great job with those opportunities.”

Notre Dame’s third-straight win overall last week in its 28-20 triumph against BYU became Smith’s first career start for the Irish. The 6-foot-1-3/8-inch, 310-pound Smith earned that right on the practice field, sure; he also embraced his away-from-campus communications with defensive line coach Al Washington.

“Coach Wash, he sends videos and texts me videos of things he wants me to work on and it’s definitely been big,” said Smith, a Detroit native who has gone from Harvard to now preparing to play in one of college football’s most elite academic and athletic rivalries with the Notre Dame-Stanford matchup on deck.

“Definitely watching film at home, every night. It’s been big, and making sure I’m studying up in my playbook. Sometimes a lot of the calls and plays carry over. It may not be that much of a big difference, but every week we go against a new offensive line and new offensive linemen and players. Just making sure I know who I’m going against.”

While making sure he knows who he’s opposing, Smith also knows each week who’s in his corner; specifically, his mother, Sabrina Hicks.

After neither mom nor son had visited Notre Dame prior to his transfer to the Irish, she’s become a fixture at most all of Smith’s games – and never misses a home date while her son becomes an anchor along an Irish defensive front that’s allowed just 733 rushing yards through five games.

“My mom comes to pretty much every game, and I usually have a different group every week, whether it’s some aunts or family friends,” Smith said of his own dedicated cheering brigade. “It’s been good having that kind of support.

“I was definitely familiar with Notre Dame growing up; actually, I think it was one of my top schools for a minute, when I think I was in middle school or early high school. I was looking at Notre Dame and wanted to come out to a camp and didn’t come out to a camp for some reason. Definitely very familiar with Notre Dame and now here we are.”

Indeed, halfway across the board in Smith’s Irish opportunity.