Troy Smith

Former Ohio State and NFL quarterback Troy Smith was arrested and charged with "improper display of license tags, OVI and possession of marijuana" early Sunday morning, according to 10TV.com.

Smith tested .143 after being pulled over by police. According to Cpl. Greg Franey of the Westerville Division of Police, the 31-year-old "was pulled over on S. State Street at 2:38 a.m.," per Theodore Decker of the Columbus Dispatch.

TMZ posted Smith's mugshot on Twitter:

Smith later took to Instagram to discuss his arrest over multiple posts, which ended with an apology:

The 2006 Heisman Trophy winner last appeared in an NFL game in 2010 with the San Francisco 49ers. He began his NFL career as a backup for the Baltimore Ravens before stints with the Niners and Pittsburgh Steelers.

He compiled 1,734 passing yards, eight passing touchdowns, five interceptions, 230 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in 20 NFL games, completing 51.7 percent of his passes.

Smith also spent time with the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL in 2011 and the Montreal Alouettes in 2013 and 2014. His excellent college career ended after he led the Buckeyes to the 2007 BCS Championship Game, where they lost to the Florida Gators, 41-14.

Smith is currently a free agent.

Seven weeks into the 2014 CFL season, one thing is becoming clear: teams in the CFL East are no match for teams in the CFL West.

Teams in the West Division are a combined 23-9 while teams in the Eastern Division are a combined 5-19. In play between the two divisions, the eastern team has only come out on top twice in 18 games.

And it isn't like things have been terribly close in those games either.

Although the two East Division wins were both blowouts—the Montreal Alouettes crushed the BC Lions 24-9 and the Toronto Argonauts hammered the Saskatchewan Roughriders 48-15, both in Week 2—the West has been equally savage in their beatdowns of eastern rivals. Only two games have been decided by three points or fewer, with the West holding a commanding 548-352 advantage in points for and against in interdivisional games.

All five West Division teams have more wins and more points for than all four East Division teams—if the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were still in the East this year, they'd be running away with the division. In fact, three teams in the west—the Calgary Stampeders, the Edmonton Eskimos and the Blue Bombers—each have as many wins as all the East Division teams combined.

Some of this can be explained by having the expansion Ottawa RedBlacks in the mix. They've won just a single game this year, besting the Argos 18-17 in Week 4. Against West Division teams, their closest game so far was an eight-point loss to the Blue Bombers in Week 2.

And things aren't getting any better for them—the Stampeders never trailed in a 38-17 rout of the Rouge et Noir in Week 7 action, although Ottawa finally earned their first-ever passing touchdown in franchise history when Henry Burris connected with Wallace Miles in the third quarter.

But Ottawa only accounts for four of the 16 losses eastern teams have suffered to western opposition at this point in the schedule. 

In Ottawa's case, they're going through growing pains as an expansion team trying to find its way.

In Toronto's case, they're dealing with some significant injuries to key players, as receivers Chad Owens, Andre Durie, Jason Barnes and Anthony Coombs have all missed time, while linebacker Nick Williams is done for the year with a torn ACL.

Montreal is struggling to find a reliable quarterback since last year's retirement of all-time passing leader Anthony Calvillo, and former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith isn't getting it done. 

And the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who made it all the way to the Grey Cup last year, currently have 21 players on the injured list, including starting QB Zach Collaros as well as six offensive linemen and five defensive linemen.

Of course, all is not lost. If Hamilton and Toronto can get healthy in the coming weeks, they should see their fortunes improve significantly. Ottawa still has time to find their groove and pick up a few more wins. And if Montreal's quarterbacks can start finding their talented receivers, they'll begin putting points on the board.

But for right now, it looks like the Grey Cup is going to remain in the West for another year.

Follow me on Twitter @calgaryjimbo

Ohio State's football program, which isn't known as a great quarterback producer, has had a string of solid quarterbacks recently. Since Craig Krenzel led the Buckeyes to the 2003 National Championship, quarterback play in Columbus has been at worst exciting and at best electrifying.

OK, the handful of starts from Justin Zwick and the three starts for Joe Bauserman provided more moments Ohio State fans want to forget than remember. But even the year and a half of Todd Boeckman brought a Big Ten Championship and a trip to the BCS National Championship Game.

Terrelle Pryor had a heck of a run for three seasons in this stretch as well. But in the coming years when "Ohio State" and "quarterback" are mentioned in the same sentence two names will come to mind: Troy Smith and Braxton Miller.

Different Paths to Stardom

Miller was a household name, at least in the state of Ohio, before he ever signed to play at Ohio State. Smith wasn’t a low-rated recruit by any stretch of the imagination, but he wasn’t the 5-star recruit that Miller was.

However, both made their way to stardom for the Buckeyes.

Smith was the last member of the 2002 recruiting class. He went to the Elite 11 QB Camp but was brought into Ohio State as an athlete. That was largely because Zwick was in the same class and it was Zwick, not Smith, who was touted as the next great Buckeyes quarterback.

In his first season in Columbus, Smith redshirted while the Buckeyes went 14-0 and beat Miami in the BCS title game. In year two Smith was used to return kicks (five returns for 83 yards) and ran some in garbage time (three carries for 14 yards). 

Then in 2004, in the midst of a three-game losing streak Smith replaced Zwick as the starter. With Smith sparking the offense the Buckeyes won four of their last five regular season games including an upset of No. 7 Michigan.

In Smith's 27 starts the Buckeyes went 25-3. Smith also became the first Big Ten quarterback to ever win the Heisman Trophy.

Miller was supposed to come in and learn from the sidelines as the Buckeyes won a National Championship with Pryor at the helm. But those plans failed. Pryor and others got suspended, Tressel resigned and Miller was thrust into a starting role in Week 4 of his freshman season. The team struggled to a 6-7 finish.

But in his sophomore year Miller led the team to a 12-0 record and was a top-five finisher in the Heisman voting.

Comparing Miller to Smith: Passing

This is a tough comparison because Miller has had two years of college, while Smith was in his fifth when he threw his way to a Heisman Trophy.

By the time Smith took over as Ohio State's quarterback his mechanics were solid. However, Miller was forced into action immediately and the time to focus on his mechanics hasn't come until this offseason. I expect improvements and Miller to close the gap on these stats, but maybe not catch Smith.

Smith was clearly a more accurate passer than Miller has been. Smith completed 62.7 percent of his passes while Miller has completed 56.7 percent of his thus far.

It should also be noted that in Smith's three seasons he was throwing to three future first-round picks in the NFL draft. Miller has some talent around him, but not to the level of Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Gonzalez and Santonio Holmes. 

Those three bolstered Smith's 8.5 yards per attempt, especially in the 2005 season when Smith had all three and averaged 9.6 yards per attempt. Miller is averaging 7.8 yards per attempt, but with the weapons coming to help him, that number should increase.

Smith's extra time to learn and grow is likely a reason his 4.15 touchdown/interception ratio is better than Miller's 2.8 ratio.

As evidenced by his Heisman Trophy and 25-3 record, Smith was a great college quarterback. While I expect Miller to improve I do not expect him to surpass Smith as a passer at Ohio State.

Comparing Miller to Smith: Runner

Miller may not be the most talented or polished passer, but he also doesn't have many peers as a runner. Smith was a good runner, especially in his sophomore and junior seasons. But Smith's running ability isn't on the same level as Miller's. 

Smith's running ability was almost his secret weapon. Smith was a pocket passer that could run if forced to or if given a wide open opportunity. But he preferred to throw the ball, especially as his career wore on. In his junior season, Smith carried the ball 136 times for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns. But in his senior season he only ran 72 times for 204 yards and one touchdown. 

Those numbers are decent for a runner. But it was Smith's ability to scramble to find a receiver that made his feet special. That skill was on display in 2005 against Michigan when he escaped Michigan's pass rush countless times to extend Ohio State's drives.

Miller has shown the ability to extend plays and find receivers downfield, but it's when he takes off that he is special. In two seasons Miller has compiled 386 carries for 1,986 yards and 20 touchdowns. All of those numbers dwarf those of Smith's. Despite being the Buckeyes' main runner in 2012, Miller was able to average 5.6 yards a carry.

That includes the 28 sacks he took, too.

Comparing Miller to Smith: The Michigan Game

There isn't a more important game in Ohio State football than the annual showdown with Michigan. Smith always rose to the occasion of facing the Buckeyes' hated rival. 

In 2004 against the No. 7 Wolverines, Smith threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns. He added 145 yards and another touchdown on the ground. His 386 yards of total offense output is fourth all-time in Ohio State history.

The next season Smith ran up 337 yards of total offense and three touchdowns in another win. In his senior season in the legendary game between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan, Smith piled up 328 yards and four touchdowns.

All together in Smith’s three games versus Michigan, Smith had 1,051 yards of total offense and 10 touchdowns.

Despite losing his first game against Michigan, Miller was able to compile 335 yards and three touchdowns in 2011. He didn't put up huge numbers in 2012, but his 246 yards and two touchdowns were enough to grab the victory over the Wolverines.

Miller Still has Time

Miller has obviously shown he is a great talent. Right now he isn't on the same level as Smith, Rex Kern and Art Schlichter as Ohio State's most legendary quarterbacks. But that's to be expected.

Miller still has two years to add to what he has already accomplished. Not many players have become top-five Heisman finishers, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and their school's all-time single-single total offense record holder.

Ohio State's record books will likely be rearranged a few more times before Miller leaves Columbus. And he just might leave the school as its best quarterback ever, but as for now Smith still deserves that title.

Troy Smtih's NFL career has posted some unique highs and lows since he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2007.

This offseason, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State finds himself on the side of Baltimore's division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, heading into the upcoming season, battling Byron Leftwich, Charlie Batch and fellow newcomer Jerrod Johnson for a spot on the Pittsburgh quarterback depth chart behind starter Ben Roethlisberger.

Smith's journey to the Steelers began as nearly being the starting quarterback in Baltimore after the 2007 season when he filled in moderately well for the unproductive Kyle Boller, posting 506 total yards passing and rushing along with three touchdowns in four games for the Ravens.

His 2007 even included a solid performance in Week 17, when he led Baltimore over Pittsburgh, 27-21, completing 16-of-27 passes for 171 yards and one touchdown. It was a definite statement game for Smith to close his rookie campaign and build toward 2008 as the full-time starter.

But a rare and extremely debilitating disease called Lemierre's Syndrome, a condition affecting the throat and lungs, took hold of Smith that year. In full bloom, Smith not only contracted tonsillitis but also lost upwards of 50 pounds due to the sickness, severely limiting his progress as the Ravens' next starting quarterback. That, along with the instant success of rookie quarterback Joe Flacco, stalled Smith's appearances in Baltimore for the 2008 season.

By 2009, although fully recovered, Smith had been permanently shifted to a backup roll as Flacco's success continued as the starter. The Ravens released Smith in the offseason after signing former Rams starter Marc Bulger.

The 2010 season would be a whirlwind for Smith as he was picked up by the San Francisco 49ers and again found himself battling for the starting job with the inconsistent Alex Smith. By Week 8, coach Mike Singletary, amidst a 1-6 start, gave Troy Smith the nod to start against Denver, where he would lead the 49ers to three fourth-quarter touchdowns and a thrilling victory over the Broncos.

He followed that with a monster of a game against St. Louis, posting 356 yards passing en route another 49er victory. Although he had notched two impressive wins, Smith would go 1-2 over the next three games as the starter before being benched in favor of Alex Smith.

Singletary's firing and Jim Harbaugh's hiring as the next coach in San Francisco all but sealed Troy Smith's fate again. He was released by the team following the 2010 season.

After two consecutive roller coaster seasons in the NFL, Smith was signed by the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League in the fall of 2011, where he achieved moderate success as a backup and starter for the team.

Smith would not be in exile long from the NFL as he was signed by the Steelers earlier this year as a possible backup option for the 2012 season.

With the expectations set as it being a backup position, Smith finds himself in the thick of a very competitive training camp with Leftwich, Batch and Johnson to make the depth chart as possible No. 3. Right now, Smith is taking the snaps with the fourth team, which makes distinguishing himself even more difficult from the rest.

However, the one plus on Smith's side is the fact that everyone is having to learn the new playbook under the newly installed Todd Haley. That, at least, gives some kind of equal footing for Smith in trying to secure a backup role on the depth chart.

The fact remains that Smith posted decent numbers in his patchwork seasons in Baltimore and San Francisco. For his career, he has thrown for 1,734 yards and eight touchdowns with a 51.7 completion percentage. He has also been viable on the ground, rushing for 230 yards on 52 attempts.

The battle for even third on the depth chart looks to be a long shot for Smith, but even if he can't unseat Leftwich or Batch, there is still the possibility he could fill the Antwaan Randle El void of being a utility option at receiver or returner with the passing trick play in some packages.

Former Ohio State quarterback and 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith was arrested on Friday in Cleveland. According to Fox 8 in Cleveland, he was pulled over for a routine traffic violation. It was then found that he had an outstanding warrant for driving on a suspended license.

Smith spent three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, one with the San Francisco 49ers and is currently employed by the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL.

While this is far from a serious arrest, the bottom line is that he was arrested, roughly five years after winning the Heisman Trophy. That's a huge drop-off.

While Smith's NFL career was far from brilliant, he did have moments in both Baltimore and San Francisco where his athletic ability stood out. And that's in the NFL. Raw athletic ability is something that can't be taught.

Now, Smith is certainly not going to be serving any hard time for what he was arrested for. But if you stop and break this down, this is a huge fall.

It's a huge fall from 2006, when he won the Heisman Trophy. It's even a huge fall from last year, when he was starting games for the 49ers as they tried to fight their way to the playoffs. To go from being a starting quarterback in the NFL to arrested in less than a year is a big drop-off. 

At the very worst, Smith is now going to have to fight an unfair perception if he has any thoughts of getting back to the NFL. If Smith performs well in the UFL, he's logically a nice thought to get an NFL opportunity. It would probably be just in a backup role, but that's an opportunity. Now, he's got to fight the fact that the last memory NFL teams will have of him is being arrested.

They're not serious charges, but that's an uphill battle for someone not even in the league at the moment. That's an uphill climb.

Follow @mdixon1985

The Oakland Raiders have improved their record to 4-2 with a win over the Cleveland Browns.  The win was bitter-sweet though as Jason Campbell broke his collarbone and could be out for the rest of the regular season.

It is not official yet but if Campbell is out for an extended period of time the Raiders will likely have to add a quarterback to their roster.  Their are a couple of veteran QBs out there.  David Garrard is a free agent and the Bengals likely would trade Carson Palmer if they can get something for him.  I don't know how much they would be able to contribute.

One player that might be able to come in and contribute, though, is Troy Smith.  He had a few starts for the 49ers last season and has been in the CFL this year.  He's had a few good games in the NFL, but also had some bad ones.  I thought he did fairly well considering the team he had around him last season.  If he can be consistent he might actually be able to help the Raiders out.  

One thing that makes it a good fit is that he and Hue Jackson were together in Baltimore in 2008 and 2009.  Jackson was the Ravens' QB coach during those two years so Smith should be familiar with what coach Jackson expects from his quarterbacks.  Smith is also fairly mobile and can keep the chains moving with his legs if the play breaks down.

Kyle Boller is decent and would still be the starting QB upon Smith's arrival but the Raiders would at least have another QB on the roster familiar with the offense.  If Boller starts to cost the Raiders games he can get replaced by Troy Smith if Terrelle Pryor isn't ready to go.

I also believe Troy Smith has a stronger arm than Boller.  He might be able to hit on those deep routes the Raiders like to run.  Boller looked all right against the Browns in relief of Campbell, but let's see how he does next week after the defense has been game-planning for him all week.  

It's nice that the Raiders are 4-2 after six games, but now they have a big decision to make.  Do they just roll with Boller or Pryor and sign a third-stringer?  Should the Raiders go after a vet like David Garrard or Carson Palmer?  Maybe somebody else is out there that can help.  

What do you think the Raiders should do?