# Kevin Smith (running back)

Kevin Ryan Smith (born December 17, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCF Knights, receiving consensus All-American honors in 2007. Smith was selected by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft, and played for the Lions for five seasons. He is the current running backs coach at Ole Miss.

## Early life

Smith attended Southridge High School in Miami, Florida. In football, he was a three-year letterman, a two-time All-Dade County selection as both a running back and a safety, and as a junior, rushed for 1,125 yards and 15 touchdowns.

## College career

Smith attended the University of Central Florida, where he played for the UCF Knights football team from 2004 to 2007. He had a standout college career as a Knight, becoming UCF's all-time leading rusher after just three seasons (2005–07). He started 34 out of 36 games for the Knights, establishing new career records with 905 carries for 4,864 yards (5.37 avg) and 45 touchdowns. His 4,864 yards rank second in Conference USA history. His 180 points scored in 2007 rank fourth on the NCAA season-record chart. During his junior campaign Smith set a major college record of 450 rushing attempts, topping the old mark of 405 carries by Marcus Allen (USC) in 1981 and falling just 62 yards shy of setting the NCAA season-rushing record of 2,628 yards set by former Lions great, Barry Sanders (Oklahoma State) in 1988.
Early in his last season, Smith was touted as a dark horse candidate for the Heisman Trophy, and ended up finishing in eighth place with 55 total points and three first-place votes to become only the second UCF player (after Daunte Culpepper) to receive Heisman votes.
He was also the first consensus All-American from UCF, being selected to almost every 2007 All-American First-team, including SI.com's.

### College statistics

| | | | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving |
| Year | Team | GP | Att | Yards | Avg | TDs | Rec | Yards | TDs |
| 2005 | UCF | 13 | 249 | 1,178 | 4.7 | 9 | 8 | 44 | 0 |
| 2006 | UCF | 9 | 206 | 934 | 4.5 | 7 | 23 | 158 | 0 |
| 2007 | UCF | 14 | 450 | 2,567 | 5.7 | 29 | 24 | 242 | 1 |
| College Totals | College Totals | 36 | 905 | 4,679 | 5.2 | 45 | 55 | 444 | 1 |
Source:

## Professional career
### Pre-draft

Smith ran 40-yard dash times of 4.45 and 4.47 seconds at his Pro Day.
He also achieved a 33.5" vertical jump and benched 225 lbs. 15 times. Smith was projected as a third- to fourth-round pick.

### Detroit Lions

Smith was selected by the Detroit Lions after they traded up with the Miami Dolphins for the first pick of the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. He signed a 3-year, $1.79 million contract on July 22.
After an impressive preseason showing, Smith was named the starting running back for the Lions for the 2008 season. Smith was backed by former Cincinnati Bengals star running back Rudi Johnson, whom the Lions had signed just days before the first game of the season. Smith was benched after week four and was briefly replaced by Johnson, before winning back the starting spot for the duration of the season.
In 2008, Smith led the Lions in rushing attempts (238), rushing yards (976; fourth in the league among rookie rushers), rushing average (4.1) and rushing touchdowns (8; third-highest tally by a rookie in team history).
In Week 8 of the 2009 season against the St. Louis Rams Smith tackled James Butler off an interception in the end zone for a safety after Butler ran out and then ran back in the end zone.
On March 3, 2011, the Lions declined to tender an offer to Smith, making him an unrestricted free agent for the upcoming NFL season. However, on November 7, he was re-signed by Detroit. The move became necessary after Jahvid Best was sidelined following his second concussion of the year. On November 20, Smith ran for 140 yards rushing on 16 carries and 61 yards on four receptions. He ran for two touchdowns and caught another as the Lions came back from a 17-point deficit to defeat the Carolina Panthers 49-35. On November 24, he was carted off the sidelines after a non-contact injury to his lower leg during the second quarter, it was later revealed that he had a mild ankle sprain with an undetermined return date. After missing several games in December, Kevin Smith returned to the field in week 16 of the 2011 season and found the end zone once through the air and once on the ground as the Lions defeated the Chargers 38-10. Smith’s second touchdown, a 6-yard run in the third quarter, gave the Lions 51 touchdowns on the season, establishing a new franchise high. Smith finished the game with 15 carries for 49 yards and two catches for 12 for a combined 61 yards of offense.

### Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Smith signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League in May 2014. He was released on June 2, 2014 after pulling a hamstring on the first day of training camp.

## Coaching career
### UCF

Following his playing career, Smith returned to UCF as a coaching intern under George O'Leary in 2015. The following year he was kept on staff of newly hired head coach Scott Frost and became the Quality control administrator.

### FAU

In 2017, after Lane Kiffin became the head coach of Florida Atlantic. Smith was hired as Kiffin's running backs coach and worked with him at FAU from 2017 to 2019.
Under Smith’s tutelage at FAU, Devin Singletary became the first running back in NCAA history to score 29 touchdowns in a season since Smith did it himself as a star at UCF. Singletary, whose 33 total TDs rank third all-time in single-season touchdowns, was named C-USA Most Valuable Player in Smith’s first year at FAU.
The 2017 FAU running back ranked No. 6 nationally in rushing yards per game (285.3). The No. 6 national ranking was a jump of 45 spots from the previous year. Singletary and Kerrith Whyte, were both drafted in the 2019 NFL Draft. Smith mentored the FAU running backs to three straight 2,000-yard rushing efforts the best in school history.

### Ole Miss

Kevin Smith would accompany Lane Kiffin to Ole Miss in 2020. Smith had a quick impact at Ole Miss, coaching the SEC's leading rushing attack in 2020. Ole Miss averaged 210.6 yards per game on the ground, leading the conference and ranking 26th overall. The Rebel running backs scored 19 touchdowns throughout the 10-game season. Jerrion Ealy and Snoop Conner, both sophomores, combined for 17 touchdowns, with Ealy's nine leading all Rebels and finishing 6th in the SEC. Under Smith's tutelage, Ealy was named second-team All-SEC by Pro Football Focus. Both Ealy and Conner would later go onto the NFL.
In 2021, three of Smith's running backs ranked in the top 25 of the Southeastern Conference in total rushing yards at the end of the regular season: Jerrion Early, Snoop Conner, and Henry Parrish Jr. Ole Miss placed 12th in the FBS in rushing yards in 2021, with 2,829 yards on the run for an average of 217.6 per game.

### Miami

In 2022, Kevin Smith was hired by newly hired Miami head coach Mario Cristobal. Ole Miss running back Henry Parrish Jr. would decide to follow Smith to Miami. Henry Parrish Jr. was named All-ACC honors that season.

### Ole Miss (second stint)

Ole Miss finished 8-5 in 2022 after being 10-2 the year before. After the season, Kevin Smith was brought back as running backs coach.
In 2023, Smith's running backs were part of a dynamic run attack that led Ole Miss to its first 11-win season in program history, as well as a 2023 Peach Bowl victory. The Rebels were 7th in the SEC in running offense and scored 29 touchdowns on the ground, ranking 5th in Ole Miss history.
Kevin Smith coached the dynamic running back duo of Quinshon Judkins and Ulysses Bentley IV. Quinshon Judkins, was the SEC Freshman of the Year, first team All-SEC honoree, had 1,158 yards and 15 touchdowns, making him one of eight in FBS history and one of two in SEC history, along with Herschel Walker, to have 1,000 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns in their rookie and sophomore years. Ulysses Bentley IV was named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list and Reese's Senior Bowl watch list.

## NFL career statistics

Legend :
| Bold | Career high |

### Regular season

| Year | Team | Games | Games | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD |
| 2008 | DET | 16 | 12 | 238 | 976 | 4.1 | 50 | 8 | 39 | 286 | 7.3 | 27 | 0 |
| 2009 | DET | 13 | 13 | 217 | 747 | 3.4 | 31 | 4 | 41 | 415 | 10.1 | 63 | 1 |
| 2010 | DET | 6 | 0 | 34 | 133 | 3.9 | 15 | 0 | 11 | 123 | 11.2 | 27 | 0 |
| 2011 | DET | 7 | 4 | 72 | 356 | 4.9 | 43 | 4 | 22 | 179 | 8.1 | 28 | 3 |
| 2012 | DET | 12 | 2 | 37 | 134 | 3.6 | 19 | 1 | 10 | 79 | 7.9 | 13 | 1 |
| | | 54 | 31 | 598 | 2,346 | 3.9 | 50 | 17 | 123 | 1,082 | 8.8 | 63 | 5 |

### Playoffs

| Year | Team | Games | Games | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD |
| 2011 | DET | 1 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 3.5 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 13 | 0 |
| | | 1 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 3.5 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 13 | 0 |