Mazi Smith puts off-field issues away for CFP: 'I still had a job to do'
As many college football fans have heard by now, Mazi Smith, a captain on the Michigan football team and the anchor of the defensive line, was charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a valid license during a traffic stop in Ann Arbor on Oct. 7.
Although the incident occurred in early October, the news of the traffic stop didn't surface until early December, when Smith was officially charged. Many wondered what the status of the captain would be as Michigan was set to take on Purdue in the Big Ten Championship Game in just a matter of days, but ultimately, Smith played.
As Smith's incident was still being sorted out in the days following Michigan's second consecutive Big Ten title, speculation once again arose as fans and others wondered if Smith would be available for the College Football Playoff.
On Dec. 15, it was announced that Smith wouldn't be sentenced until Jan. 12, which, of course, is three days after the national championship game, which will take place on Jan. 9 in Los Angeles. As it stands, things appear to be all systems go for the 6-foot-3, 337-pound lineman to finish out the season.
When Smith met with the media in Arizona on Wednesday, he was met with a plethora of questions surrounding his charge, but Smith seemed laser focused on the task at hand. The defensive tackle said he had a meeting with coach Harbaugh where he laid out all of the facts of the incident.
"[Coach Harbaugh] just wanted all of the facts," said Smith. "He didn't want any surprises, he just wanted me to be forthcoming and honest, and that's what I was from the get go. And I feel like that's why he kept trusting me."
As a captain on the second-ranked team in the country, Smith knows that eyes are going to be on him more than other players, which is something he is perfectly fine with.
"Because I'm in this position, there's a certain type of microscope that gets put on you, and that's okay. I understand. It's what happens when you have a mishap," Smith said.
Smith called the incident a "life lesson," and something that he will learn from going forward.
The potential for distractions has been at an all-time high for Smith — and maybe his teammates — but the senior has been laser focused on the task at hand, which is Saturday's game against TCU.
"I still had a job to do," Smith said. "Coach Harbaugh still trusted me to be a leader on this team, a captain, [which is] much appreciated, because he didn't have to. I had to show up for my brothers and make is less about me and what I've got going on and more about us and what we've got going on."
Smith's team-first attitude is what earned him the captain title back in August, and all that matters to Smith and his teammates at this point is beating TCU and advancing to the national championship game.
"Got to handle business. Got to go put it on them... they're in the way at the end of the day... the final thing we need to do is win a national championship."
Michigan's College Football Playoff bout with TCU is scheduled to commence at 4 p.m. eastern time on Saturday, Dec. 31. It will be broadcast on ESPN.
---
Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards
Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer
Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @DavisMoseley, @lucasreimink, @JaredHalus
Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify
Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube
Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram