The OSC Interview: Trenton Freedom QB Warren Smith
by Fran Stuchbury
July 4, 2014 - Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL)
Trenton Freedom
OurSports Central contributor Fran Stuchbury recently interviewed Trenton Freedom starting quarterback Warren Smith who will lead his team into the playoffs this weekend. Smith recently completed the Freedom's inaugural regular season, passing for 2,589 yards, 46 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also ran for 364 yards and 13 touchdowns. He played in 2013 for the PIFL's Richmond Raiders.
Fran Stuchbury: You led the Freedom to an 8-4 record and first place in the PIFL's National Conference. Are you happy with how you played?
Warren Smith: Any time as a QB when you lead an expansion team in their first year to an 8-4 record and first place, it always feels great. I thought I have improved from last year but I need to give credit to my offensive Line - Lavon McCoy, Niel Brown, Andre Civil, and Melik Brown - for protecting me and obviously all my receivers and coach Ryan Vena, my offensive coordinator, for putting me in a great situation to succeed. I can take a lot of good things I have done this year, but there is always room to improve and fix little things to make myself even better.
FS: You played for the Richmond Raiders last season. You must have been thrilled that a team came to Trenton, since you played high school football in New Jersey. How nice is it to be able to play home games in front of a lot of family and friends?
WS: It was an awesome feeling when I found out Trenton was forming a team and joining the PIFL. Being a local guy and being able to play in front of my family and friends is honestly one of the best feelings in the world. Knowing you have all that support in the stands right behind you can be very lifting. And I can also teach in the high school and train QB's with my new QB club so it was an all-around better situation coming to Trenton. But I still have all the respect in the world for Richmond.
FS: You led all the Freedom and PIFL quarterbacks in rushing yards. How big is scrambling and being able to run with the football as part of your game?
WS: Ever since high school, not being very tall, that's been a part of my game where I feel like I could take advantage of and help myself and help my team win football games. And in college I ran the ball a lot between the tackles, so I developed a type of toughness where I can run the ball on a small field like indoor. Its always been a huge part of my game.
FS: You have spread the football around to a lot of different wide receivers but you do have a main target you have thrown touchdown passes to in Roger "Spiderman" Jackson who caught 15 of them. How important is it to have a wide receiver that talented to throw to?
WS: It's huge to have a talented and tough kid like Spider catching the ball for you. He really has done some great things for the football team and so have all of my other receivers being just as explosive as Roger: Landis Williams, Maurice McDonald, Jaquan Bryant and Antoine Riveria. It's a blessing to have all of them on your squad knowing they could break a big play for you at any moment.
FS: How do you like playing under head coach Kevin O'Hanlon? Also has offensive coordinator Ryan Vena helped improve your game since he was a quarterback in the Arena Football League?
WS: Ever since I met coach O'Hanlon, I have loved playing for him. He is a kind of coach who will stick his head out for anyone on his team or staff to protect us and help us out with moving up to the next level or other job opportunities. That is the kind of guy I love playing for.
Coach Vena has been a huge part of making me a better overall QB in the Arena game. With all that experience he has and success he has had, it really translates to him coaching me and making me the best I can be. I continue to learn more and more from him everyday and I honestly believe he is the best QB coach/offensive coordinator in this league.
FS: You played college football at Maine and took them to the FCS playoffs one season. How was that experience?
WS: Playing Football at the University of Maine was probably the best teacher I have ever had in life. Playing football under Coach Jack Cosgrove and coordinators Kevin Bourgoin and Joe Rossi taught me so much from the football aspects of things to how to carry yourself as a professional in life. From mental and physical discipline to mental and physical toughness, I learned all of that in Orono, Maine as a Black Bear football player. My teammates and I were very close and we were really like one big family, and that is why we were so successful on the football field. Wouldn't trade that experience up there for anything.
FS: How was playing in Germany for the Dresden Monarchs of the German Football League in 2012?
WS: Germany was another great experience especially being able to go overseas and play a whole football season and get paid to do it. Germany really cultured me and taught me how life was over there. Plus making it to the playoffs and having the best season in Dresden history made everything that much greater. I had great American teammates such as Larry Croom, Lamar Myles, Chris Evering and Jamal Smith who taught me a lot, especially all being former NFL, CFL or AFL players before that. Easily best summer I ever had in my life.
FS: When you're not playing for the Freedom you are a gym teacher. Do you enjoy doing that?
WS: Yes I really enjoy teaching our youth. My major in college was teaching and coaching and I really have a passion with kids. For right now I am a full time substitute and the assistant head coach for my high school, looking for a full-time teaching job so I can stay in NJ and still play for the Freedom and coach.
FS: You created Warren Smith's Quarterback Club, that helps develop Pop Warner, high school and college quarterbacks. How do you like coaching these young players?
WS: Ever since I graduated high school I wanted to teach and train QB's and now that I am back home in NJ the dream became a reality. I really enjoy teaching young quarterbacks in my spare time and trying to develop them as best as I can, giving them my knowledge I know now and explain how my past experience can help them. Hopefully it continues to grow and will be something I can always do in my off time.
FS: You play Lehigh Valley Steelhawks this week in a playoff game at home. How important is it for the Freedom to get off to a good start in the game and not get behind early as has happened the past few weeks?
WS: It is very important to get off to a fast start against Lehigh Valley. They are a very well-coached and ran organization with coach Thompson, Mike Clark and Tammy Santiago. And we know that their players will be ready to play. We just need to play Trenton Freedom football, not turn the ball over, win the special teams battle, be disciplined and limit the penalties and not shoot ourselves in the foot. If we do that, I like our chances in this one.
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Professional Indoor Football League Stories from July 4, 2014
- The OSC Interview: Trenton Freedom QB Warren Smith - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
- The OSC Interview: Trenton Freedom QB Warren Smith - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
- The OSC Interview: Trenton Freedom QB Warren Smith - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
