Alphonso Smith has an axe to grind.

The former quarterback of national high school football power Pahokee HS (Fla.), Smith was unnoticed by Florida State and Miami, so he ended up at Wake Forest, which, has only won twenty games and an ACC Championship in the last two years, thank you very much.

He was one of the guys Baylor fans were worried about heading into that game. And for good reason, Smith recorded his fifteenth career interception last Thursday night. You can only imagine what he wants to do to the SEC Newcomer of the Year starting his first road game. Smith is confident. In his first play of 2007, he picked off Matt Ryan and took the interception 21 yards for a Deacon touchdown.

Ominous.

Coach Houston Dale Nutt told OM Spirit on Monday that Smith is "one of the best cornders (sic, yeah, I know, big surprise right?) we'll see all year."

What's it all mean, Basil? Jevan never connected on the long-ball against Memphis, but he also did not underthrow it. Perhaps we are safe from being picked off deep. What we have to be careful for, however, is Brandon Bolden or Dexter McCluster making ill-advised short attempts when Smith is in the vicinity. If he's on the field, Bolden and McCluster need to look first to the other side.

Tomorrow (from me anyway): State of the Opposition, concrete picks included at no extra charge!