Sophomore wide receiver Richard Smith is tackled by a member of the Oregon State team in Sun Devil Stadium. Smith will play against his high school teammate Randall Goforth this weekend at UCLA. (Photo by Vince Dwyer)Rick Smith thought he would be on the same college sideline as high school teammate Randall Goforth.
There were five players from ASU’s 2012 recruiting class from Long Beach Polytechnic High School, including Smith and Goforth, but only four ended up in Tempe.
Goforth flipped his commitment to UCLA on signing day and now has a Pac-12 South title under his belt from the Bruins 2012 campaign.
This week, Smith and his high school teammates still on the team, redshirt freshmen linebackers Salamo Fiso and Matthew Rowe, have the chance to even the count as a Sun Devil victory in Pasadena wins the Pac-12 South.
Smith will be the only one to line up against Goforth, who is starting at safety for the Bruins, and said he is ready to face off against his former teammate in the biggest Pac-12 South matchup of the season to date.
“It’s going to be fun,” Smith said. “I’ve been playing with him since high school. We go way back.”
Even though circumstances caused the two to be on different sidelines, Smith said it won’t make him uneasy seeing Goforth in baby blue, on the opposite sideline and as one of the guys in the way of his team's championship chances.
“It’s not going to be weird, because we went against each other a lot in high school,” Smith said. “I know him. I’m going to take it serious.”
Smith made a point that he won’t take anything lightly against Goforth, who is second on the Bruins in interceptions with three.
“He’s still my homie, but in those 60 minutes we’re not friends,” Smith said.
Smith, who has 229 receiving yards and two touchdowns this season, said he keeps in touch with Goforth, but that the demands of football limit their interactions.
“We talk here and there, but we both know we have schedules that are very hectic,” Smith said.
Smith isn’t sure if he will talk to Goforth before Saturday, but said that if he does, the message will be simple yet competitive.
“I don’t know if I’ll talk to him, but I might shoot him a text saying, ‘Let's go’,” Smith said. “I know we both have a goal in mind, and we both are going to work for that.”
As for Goforth’s decision to go to UCLA, Smith said it was a long story and that he “didn’t want to dive too deep” into it.
Regardless, Smith is just happy his former teammate is getting his chance and that the two will get to challenge one another.
“I’m happy with his decision,” Smith said. “He’s over there making plays, and I’m proud of what he’s done."
Win or lose, Smith will still be sure of one thing after the dust settles between him and Goforth.
“He’s at a different school, but he’s still my boy,” Smith said.
Reach the reporter at dsshapi@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @DsShapi
