Copyright Chicago Tribune
Crown Point football coach Craig Buzea’s pride in senior wide receiver Caydon Smith is obvious. But four years ago, Buzea wasn’t even sure Smith would be able to compete for the Bulldogs in the future. Smith recalls being a 5-foot-7, 110-pound eighth grader at the time. “When we first saw him when I first got here, he was in eighth grade, and he was a little scrawny kid,” Buzea said. “The kid had athletic ability, but, boy, he was really small — like one of those ‘I don’t think he’ll ever get to where he needs to be.’ But he’s grown.” Indeed, the 5-11, 165-pound Smith leads the Bulldogs (10-0), who are ranked No. 4 in the Class 6A state coaches poll entering a sectional championship game at No. 7 Penn (10-0) on Friday, with 30 catches for 427 yards and six touchdowns. He has also rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns. “He has a chance, if he wants, to play college football somewhere,” Buzea said. “It’s really fun to see someone you look at and go, ‘Yeah, he’s a good athlete, but I don’t know if he’ll ever be able to play at our level,’ to really sometimes dominate at our level at the wide receiver position. “We do a lot of things with him, whether it be reverses or jet sweeps or obviously throwing the ball. We do a lot of things with him, and he’s done a good job of grasping it.” But Smith downplayed his production. “I can’t take a lot of credit for it,” he said. “A lot of stuff wouldn’t happen without up front — the line, the quarterbacks. But it’s been a blast. All of the receivers, we just love going out there and having fun and doing our thing. But at the end of the day, we don’t even look at stats. I just love this season.” That approach is typical of Smith, according to Crown Point senior wide receiver Logan Urbaniak. “The biggest thing that sticks out to me when it comes to his personality is his selflessness,” Urbaniak said. “He’ll always put others before him, whether it’s a teammate, friend, family member, etc. He’ll always make sure the person next to him is doing good before himself. He makes sure to check up on others and is always an outlet for people if they need someone to talk to. “And another thing about his personality is his attitude toward his goals. When he has a goal in mind, the desire to reach that goal goes beyond everything, and that’s special to see how he’s able to balance putting others before himself while also working hard to reach his goal.” Smith grew up primarily playing running back, but he shifted to wide receiver in eighth grade because of his size. He started as a junior last season, making 14 catches for 175 yards, but most of the Bulldogs’ passing offense focused on talented tight ends Trevor Gibbs, a senior who has committed to Indiana, Indiana State freshman Jacob Soley and Ball State freshman Lucas Szymborski. Smith also dealt with a double sports hernia last year. He began experiencing discomfort during his sophomore track season, when he participated in the long jump, 100 meters and 400 relay. At first, Smith took medication, but he continued to feel it. By the time surgery was determined to be an option, it would’ve sidelined him for his junior football season. “So I just decided to play with it,” Smith said. “It was hurting a lot. It was really painful, but I worked through it.” Smith wound up having surgery in January and was cleared for sports after three months. As he continued to recover, he said he didn’t want to “push it,” so he dropped the sprints during track season and concentrated on the long jump. He advanced to regionals in the event and placed seventh. “I’m actually happy I got that far because I had no training in the long jump whatsoever,” Smith said. “I just went out there and jumped. I was coming right off of surgery, so I’m really excited for this track season as well because I’ll be able to be fully trained and developed.” Smith said he already has felt “way faster and stronger” during this season, which Buzea certainly has noticed. “He’s been on the hard side in regards to injuries,” Buzea said. “He’s always been banged up. This is really the first year he’s been injury-free — knock on wood — and the results have shown.” Smith has impressed Urbaniak too. “Caydon is very talented,” Urbaniak said. “He just has that natural ‘it’ factor when it comes to the game, and when the football is in his hands, special things happen. He’s also a very hard worker too. Whether it’s in the weight room or on the field, he’s never taking reps off, and he treats every rep like a game rep. “Especially in the weight room, a lot of guys might lose a few pounds or get weaker in-season, but Caydon is gaining weight and getting stronger while still in-season. So it’s amazing to see, as a close friend and as a teammate as well, to admire his work ethic. He deserves all the success that comes his way.” Smith has also developed a clothing brand, Cultural Revamp, and has dabbled in day trading. “I like the entrepreneurial area,” he said. But Smith said those activities will mostly wait until after he graduates. He noted the time has gone by quickly, and he’s trying to soak in whatever remains. The Bulldogs, who beat Penn 35-0 in a 2024 sectional final and 34-33 in a 2023 regional, will be seeking their third straight sectional title on Friday night. “It’s just amazing to be in this position again,” Smith said. “Some schools don’t even get to do it once. It’s just a blast. I love playing with my friends and all of these coaches.” Buzea is glad to have him. “He always has a smile on his face,” Buzea said. “It’s one of those things, he’s overcome a lot, and you wouldn’t know it. He’s just always pleasant, very upbeat. “He’s a good leader by example. He’s not your rah-rah type of guy. But he’s certainly a big part of what we’ve done and what we’re able to do.”
