University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
2018 Football Roster
Smith, Chris
Jersey Number 24
Chris Smith
- Position:
- Running Back
- Ht./Wt.:
- 5-9 / 200
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Louisville, Miss.
- High School:
- Nanih Waiya Attendance Center
Bio
• 2021 Sun Belt First Team Specialist
• 2021 Third Team All-Sun Belt Offense
• 2021 Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch List
• 2021 First Team Sun Belt All-Purpose Performer
• 2021 Sun Belt Preseason First Team
• 2021 Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List
• 2021 Athlon Sports Sun Belt Preseason First Team Specialist
• 2021 LSWA First Team
• 2020 247Sports/CBS Sports First Team All-American
• 2020 Pro Football Focus First Team All-American
• 2020 FWAA Second Team All-American
• 2020 First Team All-Sun Belt Conference
2021 Season (Redshirt Sophomore)
Louisiana’s leading rusher, totaling 855 yards on 153 attempts in 13 appearances … Produced one of the top single-game rushing performances in Louisiana history at Arkansas State (Oct. 21), rushing for 238 yards on 24 carries and scoring two touchdowns … His 238 yards were the fifth-most by a Ragin’ Cajun in a game in program history … Recorded 102 rushing yards on 15 carries against Troy (Nov. 13), marking the second time in his career he has gained 100 or more yards on the ground in a single game … Found the end zone two times and totaled 82 yards on 13 carries against App State (Oct. 12) … Carried the ball nine times for 70 yards and scored a touchdown against Texas State (Oct. 30) … Scored his first touchdown of the season against Ohio (Sept. 16) and recorded 68 yards on 10 carries … Opened his 2021 campaign with 54 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown at Texas (Sept. 4) … Rushed for 37 yards on 10 carries and threw his first career touchdown pass, a 37-yard strike to Kyren Lacy, in the victory over ULM (Nov. 27) … Against Georgia State (Nov. 4) he rushed for 39 yards on 12 carries, hauled in two receptions for 11 yards and added a two-yard scoring reception, the second of his career … Carried the ball 11 times for 46 yards against Nicholls (Sept. 11) … Toted the rock nine times for 41 yards at Liberty (Nov. 20) … Notched nine carries for 42 yards against South Alabama (Oct. 2).
2020 Season (Redshirt Sophomore)
Serving as the team’s primary kick returner and No. 3 running back, Smith played in all 11 games for Louisiana…Earned First Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors as a return specialist…Named a First Team All-American return specialist by Pro Football Focus and 247Sports/CBS Sports, while earning Second Team All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America…Boasted 23 kick returns for 617 yards and two touchdowns…His yardage total led the Sun Belt and ranked fourth nationally, while he was the only player in the conference and one of only four in the nation with two kick-return scores…Became the first Cajun since Raymond Calais in 2017 to produce two kick return touchdowns in the same year…Put his speed on display at Iowa State, returning three kickoffs for 137 yards, including a 95-yard touchdown return in the second quarter…The last kickoff return for a touchdown against a Big 12 team came from Darryl Surgent against Kansas State on Sept. 7, 2013…He was named the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week after the game…Notched his second kick return touchdown of the season at UAB (Oct. 23), a 100-yard return…Smith earned Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time following his performance…As a running back, he toted the ball 62 times for 359 yards and one touchdown, while leading all running backs with 16 catches for 170 receiving yards and a score…Had a huge day at Georgia State, carrying the ball a season-high nine times for 26 yards while catching three passes for 29 yards and a touchdown catch…His best rushing performance of the season came against South Alabama, when he matched a career high with 99 yards on seven carries and notched his lone rushing score of the season…Finished the year with 1,137 all-purpose yards, the 30th most nationally.
2019 Season (Redshirt Freshman)
A contributor to Louisiana’s record-breaking rushing attack…Made appearances in all 14 games for Louisiana…Finished the season fourth on the team with 334 yards on 32 carries…Scored four touchdowns on the ground…Opened his campaign with five carries for 50 yards against Liberty…Scored his first career touchdown a week later against Texas Southern to go along with four carries for 48 yards…Carried the ball seven times for 46 yards and a score against Texas State (Nov. 2)…Had a career day at Coastal Carolina, posting a career-high eight carries for a career-best 99 yards and one touchdown…Recorded an 80-yard touchdown against Troy (Nov. 23)…Returned six kicks for 147 yards, including a 37-yard return in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game on Dec. 7…Also had two punt returns on the year.
2018 Season (Freshman)
Played in four games and avoided burning his redshirt during his true freshman season.
High School
Played high school ball at Nanih Waiya High School…Name 2016 Mr. Football…Played in the Mississippi vs. Alabama All-Star Game.
Personal
Born on September 8, 1999, in Meridian, Miss…Son of Karen Boler…Has one sister…Kinesiology major.
• 2021 Third Team All-Sun Belt Offense
• 2021 Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch List
• 2021 First Team Sun Belt All-Purpose Performer
• 2021 Sun Belt Preseason First Team
• 2021 Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List
• 2021 Athlon Sports Sun Belt Preseason First Team Specialist
• 2021 LSWA First Team
• 2020 247Sports/CBS Sports First Team All-American
• 2020 Pro Football Focus First Team All-American
• 2020 FWAA Second Team All-American
• 2020 First Team All-Sun Belt Conference
2021 Season (Redshirt Sophomore)
Louisiana’s leading rusher, totaling 855 yards on 153 attempts in 13 appearances … Produced one of the top single-game rushing performances in Louisiana history at Arkansas State (Oct. 21), rushing for 238 yards on 24 carries and scoring two touchdowns … His 238 yards were the fifth-most by a Ragin’ Cajun in a game in program history … Recorded 102 rushing yards on 15 carries against Troy (Nov. 13), marking the second time in his career he has gained 100 or more yards on the ground in a single game … Found the end zone two times and totaled 82 yards on 13 carries against App State (Oct. 12) … Carried the ball nine times for 70 yards and scored a touchdown against Texas State (Oct. 30) … Scored his first touchdown of the season against Ohio (Sept. 16) and recorded 68 yards on 10 carries … Opened his 2021 campaign with 54 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown at Texas (Sept. 4) … Rushed for 37 yards on 10 carries and threw his first career touchdown pass, a 37-yard strike to Kyren Lacy, in the victory over ULM (Nov. 27) … Against Georgia State (Nov. 4) he rushed for 39 yards on 12 carries, hauled in two receptions for 11 yards and added a two-yard scoring reception, the second of his career … Carried the ball 11 times for 46 yards against Nicholls (Sept. 11) … Toted the rock nine times for 41 yards at Liberty (Nov. 20) … Notched nine carries for 42 yards against South Alabama (Oct. 2).
2020 Season (Redshirt Sophomore)
Serving as the team’s primary kick returner and No. 3 running back, Smith played in all 11 games for Louisiana…Earned First Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors as a return specialist…Named a First Team All-American return specialist by Pro Football Focus and 247Sports/CBS Sports, while earning Second Team All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America…Boasted 23 kick returns for 617 yards and two touchdowns…His yardage total led the Sun Belt and ranked fourth nationally, while he was the only player in the conference and one of only four in the nation with two kick-return scores…Became the first Cajun since Raymond Calais in 2017 to produce two kick return touchdowns in the same year…Put his speed on display at Iowa State, returning three kickoffs for 137 yards, including a 95-yard touchdown return in the second quarter…The last kickoff return for a touchdown against a Big 12 team came from Darryl Surgent against Kansas State on Sept. 7, 2013…He was named the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week after the game…Notched his second kick return touchdown of the season at UAB (Oct. 23), a 100-yard return…Smith earned Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time following his performance…As a running back, he toted the ball 62 times for 359 yards and one touchdown, while leading all running backs with 16 catches for 170 receiving yards and a score…Had a huge day at Georgia State, carrying the ball a season-high nine times for 26 yards while catching three passes for 29 yards and a touchdown catch…His best rushing performance of the season came against South Alabama, when he matched a career high with 99 yards on seven carries and notched his lone rushing score of the season…Finished the year with 1,137 all-purpose yards, the 30th most nationally.
2019 Season (Redshirt Freshman)
A contributor to Louisiana’s record-breaking rushing attack…Made appearances in all 14 games for Louisiana…Finished the season fourth on the team with 334 yards on 32 carries…Scored four touchdowns on the ground…Opened his campaign with five carries for 50 yards against Liberty…Scored his first career touchdown a week later against Texas Southern to go along with four carries for 48 yards…Carried the ball seven times for 46 yards and a score against Texas State (Nov. 2)…Had a career day at Coastal Carolina, posting a career-high eight carries for a career-best 99 yards and one touchdown…Recorded an 80-yard touchdown against Troy (Nov. 23)…Returned six kicks for 147 yards, including a 37-yard return in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game on Dec. 7…Also had two punt returns on the year.
2018 Season (Freshman)
Played in four games and avoided burning his redshirt during his true freshman season.
High School
Played high school ball at Nanih Waiya High School…Name 2016 Mr. Football…Played in the Mississippi vs. Alabama All-Star Game.
Personal
Born on September 8, 1999, in Meridian, Miss…Son of Karen Boler…Has one sister…Kinesiology major.
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