Career: Played in 45 career games with 40 starts ... Through 2009, was just the eighth player in school history to be named a two-time team captain ... Became the first player in school history to play AND start in three bowl games (2005 Sun Bowl, 2008 Alamo Bowl and 2010 Outback Bowl) ... Earned a medical hardship for the 2007 season ... A talented, intelligent player who moved into a starting safety role as a true freshman ... Emotional and passionate leader ... Talented and fearless punt return man, as well ... Confident, heady player ... Closed his career 10th on NU's career interceptions list with seven.

2009: Played and started eight games ... Team co-captain ... Named a captain for a second consecutive year, making him just the eighth player in NU history to be a repeat captain ... Tabbed a Phil Steele's first-team preseason All-Big Ten safety ... Suffered a broken thumb late in the first half of the Miami game that forced him to miss five of the last six games (only started and played, sparingly, against Penn State) ... Averaged 6.6 yards per punt return ... Was the Big Ten's 2009 active career leader with two interception returns for touchdowns ... Totaled five solo tackles, a TFL and a forced fumble vs. Auburn in the Outback Bowl ... Recorded two tackles and one pass breakup against Penn State ... One tackle vs. Miami before leaving the game with a broken thumb he sustained during the first half ... Three stops at Purdue ... Team leader with 10 stops (seven solo) vs. Minnesota ... Four tackles at Syracuse ... Led the defense with 12 tackles (five solo) vs. Eastern Michigan ... Named team's defensive player of the game vs. EMU ... Recorded three stops and a pass breakup vs. Towson.

2008: Team co-captain ... Starting safety ... A consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten honoree ... Third on squad with 82 total tackles, bringing his career total to 188 ... Tied for third on team in passes defended with eight (six breakups, two INTs) ... Ranked for 21st in Big Ten with 6.3 stops per contest ... In his first game back from injury last season, intercepted Syracuse quarterback Andrew Robinson in the third quarter and brought it back 26 yards for a pick-six ... Collected six tackles and one pass breakup vs. the Orange ... Returned two punts for six yards ... Named team's defensive player of the game vs. Syracuse ... Team co-leader with 11 tackles (five solos) at Duke ... Tied for the team lead with seven tackles against Southern Illinois (all solo) and set a career high with three pass breakups ... Against Ohio, registered three tackles and one TFL ... Totaled eight tackles (six solos) at Iowa ... Five tackles vs. Michigan State ... Led NU with eight stops vs. Purdue ... Finished with four tackles and one TFL at Indiana ... At Minnesota, he intercepted Gophers QB Adam Weber and returned it 48 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 12 seconds remaining in regulation, earning him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors and a nomination for the Pontiac Game-Changing Performance of the Week ... Finished with six stops in the game and earned team defensive big playmaker honors ... Against Ohio State, totaled six tackles and one pass breakup ... Recorded five tackles at Michigan ... Named NU's special teams player of the game vs. Illinois after his 51-yard punt return set up an NU touchdown ... Finished with five tackles ... Collected nine tackles in 2008 Alamo Bowl vs. Missouri.

2007: Starting strong safety and punt returner before an injury ended his season ... Sat out the final eight games ... Missed the Northeastern game due to injury ... Returned to lineup against Nevada and totaled two tackles ... Had three tackles vs. Duke ... Four tackles vs. Ohio State.

2006: Honorable mention All-Big Ten selection (coaches) ... Starter at strong safety ... Had four of his top performances in Big Ten play: season-high 12 tackles (six solos), two pass deflections and a fumble recovery at Penn State; seven tackles, a forced fumble and QB hurry at Wisconsin; season-high 11 solo tackles at Michigan; and five tackles and a key 14-yard interception at Iowa ... The interception came on the NU goal line ... Three tackles, which included a TFL, and a 21-yard punt return vs. Ohio State ... Five tackles, as well as a 33-yard interception return against Michigan State (two of his seven career interceptions came against Drew Stanton and MSU) ... Collected two tackles and a pair of pass deflections at Miami (Ohio) ... Five solo tackles vs. UNH ... Six tackles (four solos) vs. Eastern Michigan ... Notched first interception of season at Nevada and returned it 35 yards ... Six tackles, including a TFL, vs. Purdue ... Three solo tackles and a fumble recovery vs. Illinois ... Finished second in team tackles with 68 ... Led team with three interceptions.

2005: Sporting News honorable mention Freshman All-American ... Suffered a knee injury (sprain) on his 37-yard interception return at Michigan State ... Picked off Drew Stanton in the end zone and then raced 37 yards up the sideline before Stanton hit him on his left knee ... It was the second interception of his young career ... Also had a solo tackle and a pass breakup before leaving the MSU game in the first quarter ... Missed the next three games before returning at Illinois, where he notched two tackles ... Earned first collegiate start at strong safety vs. Penn State after playing a backup position his first three contests ... Finished the game with a season-best nine tackles (sharing team honors with Tim McGarigle) ... Snared his first career interception (23-yard return) vs. Wisconsin ... Added three tackles vs. the Badgers ... Totaled five tackles (two solos) vs. Northern Illinois ... Contributed three tackles at Arizona State ... Four solo tackles at Purdue ... Started the Sun Bowl vs. UCLA and totaled a pair of tackles.

High School: 2004 New England Prep School (Class A) Player of the Year ... 2004 Gatorade New Hampshire Player of the Year ... Three-time All-New England Prep School football team ... 2004 Boston Globe Prep School Class A Most Valuable Player ... Played quarterback and safety ... For career, totaled 4,073 passing yards, 39 TDs and 10 interceptions ... Rushed for 3,013 yards and 28 TDs ... Scored 74 career touchdowns, which includes four interception returns and three punt returns ... Defensively, totaled 113 tackles, 16 TFLs, 9 sacks, 6 interceptions and 5 fumble recoveries ... Helped the Huskies compile a 24-2 three-year record which included perfect 8-0 marks in 2002 and 2004 when New Hampton won the Prep School Super Bowl ... Team's MVP ... In the 2004 title game, threw for 285 yards and rushed for 95 yards ... Totaled a career-high six touchdowns vs. Rutland H.S., scoring a TD in four different ways -- punt return (72 yards), interception return (42 yards), rushing (43, 27 and 71 yards) and passing (37 yards) ... Also lettered in lacrosse and basketball ... New Hampton Prep's 2004-05 Male Athlete of the Year ... Member of Honor Roll ... Coached by David Perfield.

Personal: Born Brendan Christopher Smith ... Son of Brendan and Colleen Smith ... Father, Brendan, played football at Miami (Fla.), and brother, Sean, played at Division II Bentley College ... Younger brother, Kyle, is currently a junior at Holy Cross and playing football for the Crusaders ... Communication studies major.

The Brendan Smith File
Q: A song that best describes you ...
A: "Dancing Nancies" by Dave Matthews Band
Q: If you could dine with anyone from any period in history, who would it be?
A: My dad's father
Q: If you could have a starring role in any film already made, which movie would it be?
A: The Boondock Saints
Q: If you could choose the title of your autobiography, what would it be?
A: "Blessed"
Q: What is the greatest lesson that you have learned in life?
A: Nothing good in life comes easy
Q: Something people would be surprised to know about me is ...
A: I played four varsity sports in high school
Q: My favorite opposing stadium to play in is ...
A: Michigan
Q: My ultimate SportsCenter highlight would be ...
A: Returning an interception for a TD in overtime to win the Rose Bowl
Q: My favorite place to visit is ...
A: Ireland
Q: The person that inspires me the most is ...
A: My older brother
Q: If you were to have your friends attribute one quality to you, what would it be?
A: My sense of humor
Q: My football-related superstition is. ..
A: Writing my family's initials on a piece of clothing
Q: The three words that best describe me:
A: Easygoing, competitive and athletic

Smith's Career Stats

SCORING G TD Rush Pass Retn PAT 2PAT FG Total Avg/G2005................ 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02006................ 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02007................ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02008................ 13 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 12 0.92009................ 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0TOTAL............... 45 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 12 0.3
PUNT RETURNS G No. Yds TD Lg Avg/R Avg/G2005................ 9 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02006................ 12 4 47 0 21 11.8 3.92007................ 3 1 0 0 0 0.0 0.02008................ 13 15 118 0 51 7.9 9.12009................ 8 9 59 0 16 6.6 7.4TOTAL............... 45 29 224 0 51 7.7 5.0
KICK RETURNS G No. Yds TD Lg Avg/R Avg/G2005................ 9 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02006................ 12 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02007................ 3 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02008................ 13 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02009................ 8 1 14 0 14 14.0 1.8TOTAL............... 45 1 14 0 14 14.0 0.3
INTERCEPTIONS G No Yds TD Lg Avg/R Avg/G2005................ 9 2 60 0 37 30.0 6.72006................ 12 3 82 0 35 27.3 6.82007................ 3 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02008................ 13 2 74 2 48 37.0 5.72009................ 8 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0TOTAL............... 45 7 216 2 48 30.9 4.8
ALL PURPOSE G Rush Rec PR KR IR Total Avg/G2005................ 9 0 0 0 0 60 60 6.72006................ 12 0 0 47 0 82 129 10.82007................ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02008................ 13 0 0 118 0 74 192 14.82009................ 8 0 0 59 14 0 73 9.1TOTAL............... 45 0 0 224 14 216 454 10.1
TACKLES G UA A Total TFL-Yds PD FF FR Blkd2005................ 9 16 13 29 0.0-0 3 0 0 02006................ 12 48 20 68 1.5-4 7 1 2 02007................ 3 5 4 9 0.0-0 0 0 0 02008................ 13 50 32 82 3.0-6 8 0 0 02009................ 8 27 13 40 1.0-1 2 1 0 0TOTAL............... 45 146 82 228 5.5-11 20 2 2 0