Louisville Football: Top 5 breakout candidates for 2017
By Ryan McNeill
It’s tough being a running back that lines up behind Lamar Jackson. During his Heisman season, Jackson carried the ball 260 times and threw the ball 409 times. While the result was an electric offense, it’s tough for a running back to get in a groove.
However, despite this, Smith still averaged 6.7 yards on 57 rushes. He also had 227 receiving yards and averaged 12.6 yards per catch. That kind of safety valve coming out of the backfield is something Jackson can lean on heavily this season.
Smith played one season at Fresno City Community College before he signed with Louisville. During that season, Smith ran for 1,735 yards and 17 touchdowns and averaged 157.7 yards per game. Smith has proved he can be a workhorse with speed to burn.
Smith’s biggest game last season was against N.C. State when he had 14 rushing attempts for 51 yards. His two rushing touchdowns and 3.6 yards per carry showed he can perform at a high level when given an opportunity.
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The interesting thing while looking at Smith’s stats is he had more rushes his freshman season (60) than last season (57). It will be interesting to see if Smith can get more chances to run the ball this season. If he does, look for Smith to maximize those opportunities and become a key cog in Louisville’s offense.