Former Ute great becomes Utah’s second College Football Hall of Fame inductee

IRVING, Texas – University of Utah Football great Alex Smith has been selected as a member of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame class, announced today by ESPN and the National Football Foundation. The full class will be announced on Monday, Jan. 8.

Smith is Utah's second inductee and first-student-athlete inducted in school history, joining legendary head coach Ike Armstrong, who was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1957. Smith is also a member of the Utah Athletics Hall of Fame (2021) and the Academic All-America Hall of Fame (2020).

As a Ute, Smith was a first-team All-American and a Heisman Trophy Finalist in 2004, 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.

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 is also still the school record-holder 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.

Throughout every step of his journey, Smith has given credit to his time at Utah and what he learned from the culture that is the Utah Football Family. Reflecting at the Utah Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony in 2021, Smith left with some parting words about his alma mater that continue to ring true to this day.

“I love the idea of the student-athlete and playing for something bigger than yourself and getting your education at the same time. And that was my dream. One school gave me a chance. That was the U. and I am grateful for it. It changed my life, shaped who I am today. And I'm so proud of it."