Oh, the West Virginia quarterback is working hard, all right. He really doesn't have much choice given that that's what college football players do during the summer.

But while he might not be overdoing it, he's not being asked to take a step back this summer as he's had to do in each of the last two because of a pair of foot injuries.

Now, when the rest of the team sprints or runs the law school hill, Smith is right there with them.

"I'm doing drills I haven't done in like four years,'' Smith said. "It's great.''

But while working out and getting his body in shape for his junior season is all well and good, that's really not the primary focus for Smith this summer.

With a new offense installed by Dana Holgorsen installed in the spring, the primary focus for Smith this summer is polishing that. And that means working on timing.

"Our offense isn't really that complex,'' Smith said. "It's something that is very easy to get down. I think it's just about getting our timing better. If we get pinpoint timing then I feel like we'll be unstoppable in this offense.''

What that means for Smith and his receivers this summer is working as much as possible on running routes. They do it in seven-on-seven drills against the WVU secondary, they do one-on-one drills with defensive backs and they simply practice routes and timing with no defense.

"It's anything to get our timing down,'' Smith said.

There is, of course, a difference between seven-on-sevens in an empty stadium and without linemen to muddy the waters and doing the same thing in a packed stadium with the chaos of charging defensive ends and the like.

Still, Smith insists that none of that really matters all that much. If he and his receivers are on the same page, it shouldn't matter what else is going on around them.

"Tremendous,'' Smith said when asked how

much can be accomplished in shorts and without all those distractions. "When it comes down to throwing, the D-line and the O-line, they're just bumping heads. It's all about the secondary and the receivers and the coverages and everything. That timing is going to be important for us. We have to be on point with our reads, we have to get lined up fast and put pressure on the defense.''

Aside from that, Smith says he is just trying to get better at everything he does after throwing for more than 2,700 yards and 24 touchdowns as a sophomore.

"I know it sounds cliché, but I take every day for what it's worth,'' he said. "I try to lock in and focus on each day and every rep, every spring, anything we do, and just try to be a good leader to my teammates and try to help us win.''

So he watched tape and tries to get better at the things he wasn't good at in the spring. And those things were?

"Pretty much everything at this point,'' he said.

One thing he doesn't have to work on all that much, though, is his running. After being asked to become more of a dual-threat quarterback last year - he ran the ball 106 times, although for just 217 yards after subtracting sacks - in Holgorsen's offense he is almost strictly a passer.

Admittedly, Smith never really liked to run the ball, but he stopped short of saying that not being asked to do so would be a relief.

"I wouldn't say it's a relief. It's just focusing on my strengths,'' Smith said. "I'm not a running type of quarterback, but I can make good decisions and make the throws. And our offense requires that. I think that's what makes us good.''

Still, that doesn't mean he won't run on occasion if the opportunity arises.

"No, not at all,'' he said. "If it's there then I'll get 5 yards. That's all I can get.''

Reach Dave Hickman at 304-348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com.