Exactly three weeks after being indefinitely suspended for an unspecified team rules violation, MSU junior quarterback Jeff Smoker ended his silence Thursday at the Duffy Daugherty Football Building.

During the press conference, which attracted media from across the state, Smoker addressed his substance-abuse problem, treatment and future with the Spartans.

"This day isn't exactly something I've looked forward to," Smoker said. "I understand I affected not only myself, but many other people through this situation.

"I'd like to apologize to my teammates, my friends, my family, the coaches, the fans, young kids and everyone that looked to me."

Smoker said the team rules violation was his confession to former head coach Bobby Williams.

"I told him where I had to go and what I had been doing with my life," Smoker said. "I told him that I needed help and he said that he had to suspend me but that he'd find me the help I needed."

That help was intensive inpatient treatment. Although Smoker is out, he said his treatment will continue for at least a couple months.

Smoker declined to comment on what substances he'd been abusing, but a source close to the program told The State News the signal caller has struggled with marijuana and cocaine use.

Smoker did say, "It wasn't just one substance" and he now is "clean and sober."

"I did abuse them, and it really did affect me," he said. "It was affecting my relationships, my school work, my personality, and I was becoming someone different.

"It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, to realize that there was something about my life that I'd lost control of."

Smoker called MSU's random drug-testing policy intense, but he said he's never failed a drug test in his life.

Spartan team physician Randy Pearson said MSU conducts random testing throughout the season and probable-cause testing.

"All of it is designed to get athletes help before it becomes a problem," Pearson said. "We think that through our testing program we will either catch the athletes that have difficulty or we will tighten the noose, so to speak, around the problem to the point where the athlete will seek help on their own."

Smoker said treatment taught him a lot. And the simple fact that he stepped into the spotlight to address his problems proved it has him pointed in the right direction.

He said he has returned to class and now understands football can be taken away at any moment.

"I realize that it is a privilege to play for the Michigan State Spartans," Smoker said. "It's not a right, and I feel that I may have taken advantage of that."

Smoker also admitted he isn't sure what future he has with the team. Although, he said he hopes to remain a Spartan.

"I realize that there'll be a lot of decisions made in the upcoming months in this program," Smoker said. "I realize that there will be a new coach coming in and finally, it will be his decision to decide whether I'm back on the team or not.

"But I fully intend to do whatever it takes to get a second chance and not ever let something like this happen again."

MSU interim head coach Morris Watts doesn't have any official say in whether Smoker returns or not, but he said it was a big step for the junior to admit his mistakes and face the consequences.

"I have no doubt that he'll make good on his word because he's a good person," Watts said. "I wish him the best of luck, and I hope it works out that he'll be able to return to the football field."

Smoker said he's glad this happened now instead of down the road and called this a turning point in his life.

"I do realize that I am a public figure and that when I'm outside of this building that I need to carry myself in a manner that I've not been doing," he said.

Eric McKinney can be reached at mckinn54@msu.edu.