RUSTON — With a quick swing of the bat, J'Mar Smith rifled a batting practice pitch that just sailed over the right field fence at J.C. Love Field.
"Atta boy, J'Mar!" hollered one of his teammates.
Yes, Louisiana Tech's quarterback, the one expected to take over the starting role for 2017, was playing baseball Monday during individual drills at Pat Patterson Park. The dual-sport standout wasn't there for fun. He's vying for a potential spot on the 2017 baseball roster.
"I think he realistically thinks he has a good future in baseball, and he wants to be out here. We've had this talk. If he's not all in, then we don't need to be wasting our time," Tech baseball coach Lane Burroughs told The News-Star on Monday.
"I think he really wants to try and do both. It's been done before. It's hard and it's really hard when it's a quarterback. He can't miss a beat over there. I think his mind is in the right place, his heart's in the right place. He's fresh. He hasn't played a lot of baseball, and I think he sees that."
Smith, the Bulldogs' backup quarterback for 2016 who started the season opener at Arkansas, worked out with the baseball team in the same capacity last year under former coach Greg Goff. However, Smith's role with the team ended there, as he redshirted for the 2016 season and wasn't on the active 35-man roster while he instead focused on spring football.
This year is different. Tech's baseball team is in need of an outfielder due to a season-ending injury to Mason Mallard and the recovery of Sean Ullrich from offseason surgery.
more
http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/sp.../tech-qb-vying-spot-baseball-roster/96945078/
"Atta boy, J'Mar!" hollered one of his teammates.
Yes, Louisiana Tech's quarterback, the one expected to take over the starting role for 2017, was playing baseball Monday during individual drills at Pat Patterson Park. The dual-sport standout wasn't there for fun. He's vying for a potential spot on the 2017 baseball roster.
"I think he realistically thinks he has a good future in baseball, and he wants to be out here. We've had this talk. If he's not all in, then we don't need to be wasting our time," Tech baseball coach Lane Burroughs told The News-Star on Monday.
"I think he really wants to try and do both. It's been done before. It's hard and it's really hard when it's a quarterback. He can't miss a beat over there. I think his mind is in the right place, his heart's in the right place. He's fresh. He hasn't played a lot of baseball, and I think he sees that."
Smith, the Bulldogs' backup quarterback for 2016 who started the season opener at Arkansas, worked out with the baseball team in the same capacity last year under former coach Greg Goff. However, Smith's role with the team ended there, as he redshirted for the 2016 season and wasn't on the active 35-man roster while he instead focused on spring football.
This year is different. Tech's baseball team is in need of an outfielder due to a season-ending injury to Mason Mallard and the recovery of Sean Ullrich from offseason surgery.
more
http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/sp.../tech-qb-vying-spot-baseball-roster/96945078/
