I don't think you're in over your head, these things are very simple if you have a basic set of tools. Have you tried all of the things suggested yet, or at least some? Did the hair drier trick work? Have you tried jump starting it with a running car on the battery, for a little more spinning rpm?
Here's my logic: right now, it doesn't run. If you pull the head off, it won't run either, and by pulling the head all you will be able to tell is if there is really bad damage to the piston and/or cylinder walls. If there IS bad damage...it still won't run, and you'll have to tear it down further to fix it anyway.
If there isn't any easily visible damage, you're in a conundrum because you still don't know why it won't run, and putting it all back together puts you back at square one. I would say exhaust all your options that are currently available, and then start doing surgery.
Get a work light or halogen lamp and place it near or on the intake. Turn it on and leave it for an hour or so. Get everything nice and warm. If you are able, use a hair drier and just set it up to blow hot air toward and into the manifold. Connect your jumper cables to your car, get the car running, open activate the compression release, spin it for several seconds, then deactivate the compression release. Make sure the throttle is around the middle of its travel. It should fire up.
If you have decided that there is a condition that requires the engine to be rebuilt (Which I'm not convinced of yet, since it smokes a bit when you crank it), say you've tried the earlier sequence dozens of times and all hope is lost, then there's nothing to lose by doing this: With the air filter on normally, get the engine cranking with the decompression activated. With a can of starter fluid, give the quickest possible burst you can toward the air intake. Not INTO, but toward it. The vapors should be enough to combust, and you'll hear the engine try to fire and sound like it's coming apart. If you can't get it to even try on starter fluid, then the compression isn't as good as it seemed to be.
I really think you'll be able to get it running, even if you rebuild it yourself. These are very simple to take apart and put together, and there is a wealth of knowledge among the members here. You can do it!