Evan Smith looks different today than when he played along Idaho State’s offensive line from 2005-08.

Since leaving ISU and starting a combined 40 games for the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Smith has changed his body from a 290-pound left tackle into a 308-pound center.

He’s shortened his name from Evan Dietrich-Smith and has both of his arms covered with tattoos. Several of Smith’s tattoos were done by his brother, Alex, who served two tours in Iraq and earned a Purple Heart.

Alex, along with Smith’s wife, Misty, and his daughter, Jocelyn, are a big reason why he managed to forge a career in the NFL. He was undrafted in 2009 and cut by both the Packers and Seahawks in 2010. But with his family’s support and encouragement, Smith had the motivation to never give up.

 Now he’s with Tampa Bay and viewed as one of the team’s leaders on the offensive side of the ball. Smith returned to Pocatello for the Idaho State Football Team alumni golf scramble last weekend. He was excited for Misty, who he met his rookie year with the Packers, to see ISU and the Gate City for the first time.

Q: What’s it like to be back in Pocatello?

Smith: “It’s really nice to bring my wife back here and show her where I’m from. ... I love this city because of the experience and 

the people that I’ve been able to meet. The friendships have meant a tremendous amount in my life.”

“I come back here because I had a really good time here. It’s an important part of my life. This is a fun city to me. It’s not the biggest, largest city. But I’ve never been a big city person. At the end of the day, it’s really the people and the experiences that I had here that make this place special.”

Q: What do you think of your new offensive coordinator at Tampa Bay, Pocatello native and fellow ISU alum Dirk Koetter?

Smith: “I’m not going to lie. I was talking to Dirk, I told him that I had no idea that he was from Idaho State or anything like that until we hired him and my dad was sitting there and he called me and said, ‘You know he went to Idaho State?’ I didn’t really know too much about high school football out here. I’m going to school and I was poor and I didn’t get the newspaper. I didn’t have much other than I had school and football and buddies. That was about it.”

“He’s a good coach. I’m happy to have him there. It’s a nice change-up. He’s really got a hold on the offense. ... He’s got the guys going in the right direction. We’re going to be a better football team because of it.”

Q: Your tattoos that cover both arms have become a distinctive look.

Smith: “They don’t have a whole bunch of meaning or anything. I like tattoos. I like crazy stuff. It’s cool stuff for me. ... People are always asking me, why all the skulls? Well, I don’t really feel like explaining to you because everybody has their reasons. It’s something I like and it’s cool to me. If you ever saw my brother (Alex), even before I even got all my tattoos, my brother has a bunch of tattoos. He has more tattoos than I have. ... He was the one that got me into it.”

Q: What has kept you committed to football and to staying in the league?

Smith: “That’s the thing for me, I really enjoy it. I enjoy winning. I think one of the most gratifying things in the NFL is winning a football game. ... When you sit there and play with the top echelon of the most skilled players in the sport, if you can go out there and beat guys and do it on a consistent basis and put yourself in a position to win a championship, that’s the funnest thing.”