“Tyreke Smith had a really nice game,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “… He did well tonight. Now, it’s taken him some time in camp. But he had a really impressive week. You could see it coming. The fact that he goes out and does it in the game, it’s kind of what you hope happens from the coaching perspective. He did it. He was quick, assertive. He used his calls and stunts and things really well to make plays in the backfield from the backside. He was a really active player in college. We never even saw him last year. We practiced for two days. Never even had a clue. It seems like, yeah, the rust is getting knocked off and he’s really ready to contribute and play for us. A good ballplayer. In that rotation with our guys, he has to try to get in that rotation with our guys.”
For Smith, Saturday’s game in which he saw a ton of playing time was a welcome change after missing his entire rookie season aside from a few practices in offseason workouts.
“It’s been great, man,” he said. “My last game was my first competitive game in two years. Every moment I get on the field is like surreal, and I just thank God for putting me in this position and giving me the guidance and the strength to be here. Thank the team, they’ve been rallying behind me. It’s been a great camp, just working every day, trying to stack days, make sure I get better each day.”
