OSU's top 10 players of the 2000s: #5 - Jonathan Smith
The quarterback who led the Beavers out of the dark ages lands at number five in our countdown.
Jonathan Smith knows all about the 28-year streak of losing seasons for Oregon State. He was the man under center for the final four games of the 1998 season, a 5-6 campaign that wound up being the final losing season of the streak.
Smith began his career at OSU as a walk-on quarterback who most figured would rarely see the field. He was an undersized player (generously listed at 5-11 and 202 pounds on the roster) who didn't have great speed or a strong arm. But when he finally got his chance to play, Smith showed that those things didn't matter.
Against the Washington Huskies in 1998, Smith came off the bench and lit up the Husky Stadium sky for a then-OSU record 469 yards and three touchdowns. The Beavers lost the game 35-34 when Smith's two-point conversion pass fell incomplete, but it was clear OSU had found its quarterback of the future.
Smith ended the year on a positive note, when he led the Beavers to a stunning 44-41 overtime victory over Oregon in the Civil War. He carried that momentum into his sophomore season in 1999, when Oregon State finally broke through.
Under first-year head coach Dennis Erickson, Smith and the Beavers thrived in their new coach's spread offense. Smith threw for 3,053 yards - an OSU record at the time - and 15 touchdowns, but the number that mattered most to him was seven, as in seven wins, which ended the streak of losing seasons and sent OSU to the Oahu Bowl - the program's first bowl appearance in 34 years.
One year after getting back to the post season, the Beavers announced their presence to the rest of the country. Smith led a powerful offense to a 10-1 romp through the regular season, including a 23-13 win over the Ducks that knocked Oregon out of the Rose Bowl, while propelling the Beavers to a Fiesta Bowl berth.
The dream season ended in perfect fashion as the Beavs turned into a nightmare for Notre Dame. OSU crushed the Irish 41-9 to cap off an 11-1 season that ended with a number four national ranking, both of which are the best marks in Oregon State history.
Smith's senior year didn't go as planned, as OSU turned in a shocking 5-6 season after being picked number one in the country by Sports Illustrated in the preseason. But the loss of several key contributors on defense proved to be too much for the Beavers to overcome.
Even though his career didn't end the way he would have liked, Smith still was able to carry his head high as the quarterback who brought OSU football back to life. He finished his career with the Beavers as the all-time passing leader with 9,680 yards and 55 touchdowns, although both of those marks were later surpassed by Derek Anderson.
Smith never played in the NFL, but his excellent knowledge of the quarterback position has led to a coaching career, and he is currently serving as the QB coach for the University of Idaho.
