Rodney Smith

Class:
Redshirt Freshman
Position:
RB
Hometown:
Jonesboro, Ga.
High School:
Mundy's Mill

PRONUNCIATION

SCHOOL RECORDS:
All-Purpose Yards: 5,441 (4,122 rushing, 521 receiving, 798 kick return)
Kick Return for a Touchdown: 2
Longest Kick Return: 100 yards

HONORS:
Academic All-Big Ten (2019)
All-Big Ten Second Team (2019)
Bruce Smith Award - Outstanding Offensive Player (2019)
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2017)
Bronko Nagurski Award - Team MVP (2017)
All-Big Ten Third Team (2016)
Holiday Bowl Offensive MVP (2016)
Bronko Nagurski Award - Team MVP (2016)
Bruce Smith Award - Outstanding Offensive Player (2016)
Bob McNamara Offensive Back of the Year (2016)

CAREER: Rushed 879 times (third all-time in school history) for 4,122 yards (second all-time in school history) in 52 games • scored 29 (2 in 2015; 16 in 2016; 3 in 2017 and 8 in 2019) rushing touchdowns, which ranks sixth in school history • career long 70-yard rushing touchdown came at Maryland in 2016 • had 16 career 100-yard rushing games, which ranks third in program history • career high is 211 yards, which came against Illinois in 2019 • career long 100-yard kick return for a touchdown came against Nebraska in 2017 • had 279 all-purpose yards (10 receiving, 134 rushing and 135 kick return) against Nebraska in 2017, which was tied for the seventh most in school history with Tellis Redmon (279 all-purpose yards vs. NC State in 2000) • his 5,441 all-purpose yards ranks first in school history • rushed for 100 yards in five straight games (at Purdue, Illinois, Nebraska, at Rutgers, Maryland) in 2019, which is tied for the third longest streak in school history and is the longest since 2007.

2019 • SENIOR SEASON: Started all 13 games and rushed 228 times for 1,163 yards (third most by a Gopher senior) and eight touchdowns • had five 100-yard rushing games (third most by a Gopher) and totaled 1,368 all-purpose yards (21st most by a Gopher). Game-by-Game: Saw his first game action since Sept. 8, 2018 and rushed 21 times for 92 yards against South Dakota State • totaled 146 all-purpose yards (61 rush, 10 receiving and 75 kick return) and rushed for a 1-yard touchdown at Fresno State (touchdown was first since Nov. 4, 2017 at Michigan) • rushed 11 times for 57 yards against Georgia Southern • totaled 135 all-purpose yards (115 rushing and 20 receiving) and rushed for one touchdown at Purdue • rushed for a career high 211 yards against Illinois and notched 237 all-purpose yards • rushed 18 times for 139 yards and scored one touchdown against Nebraska • gained 135 all-purpose yards (111 rushing on 19 carries and 24 receiving on two receptions) and rushed for two scores at Rutgers • scored one touchdown and gained 103 yards on 17 carries against Maryland • his 1-yard touchdown plunge against Maryland broke Darrell Thompson’s career all-purpose yards record, as it gave him 5,110 yards, eclipsing Thompson's 5,109 yards • picked up 51 rushing yards against Penn State • carried the ball 14 times for 46 yards and one touchdown at Iowa and also caught one pass for four yards • picked up 77 yards on 15 carries at Northwestern and gained 69 all-purpose yards against Wisconsin • rushed 16 times for 77 yards and caught one pass for eight yards in an Outback Bowl win against Auburn.

2018: Started the first two games of the season, but missed the rest of the year with an injury • rushed 24 times for 153 yards against New Mexico State and also added 21 receiving yards and 15 return yards for 189 all-purpose yards • picked up 34 all-purpose yards against Fresno State before leaving the game with an injury early in the first quarter.

2017 • JUNIOR SEASON: Played in 12 games and started 11 • rushed 229 times (15th most in a school history in a single season) for 977 yards and three touchdowns • caught 17 passes for 107 yards • returned 14 kicks for 363 yards, which included a 100-yard kickoff return against Nebraska • totaled 1,447 all-purpose yards (16th most in school history in a single season). Game-by-Game: Rushed 23 times for 76 yards against Buffalo and also made one catch • tied his career high with 30 carries and rushed for 92 yards and one touchdown at Oregon State, while also recording one catch for 22 yards • rushed 16 times for 107 yards (6.7 average) against Middle Tennessee and also returned one kickoff for 40 yards • scored one touchdown and rushed for 35 yards on 18 carries against Maryland • carried the ball 21 times for 88 yards at Purdue and added four receptions for 25 yards • gained 44 yards on 11 carries against Michigan State • had 137 total yards (103 rush, 8 receiving, 26 kick return) against Illinois • totaled 118 all-purpose yards (82 rushing, 21 kick return and 15 receiving) at Iowa • had 85 all-purpose yards at Michigan • totaled 279 all-purpose yards (10 receiving, 134 rushing and 135 kick return) against Nebraska, which is tied for seventh most in school history • notched second career kick return for a touchdown when he returned the opening kick 100 yards against Nebraska (first Gopher to return the opening kickoff for a touchdown since Tyrone Carter did so in 1998 against Arkansas State) • rushed 18 times for 96 yards at Northwestern • gained 82 yards on 16 carries against Wisconsin.

2016 • SOPHOMORE SEASON: Played in all 13 games and started 12 • rushed 240 times (tenth most in school history in a single season) for 1,158 yards (16th most in school history in a single season) and 16 touchdowns (third most in school history in a single season) • became 20th Gopher ever to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season • caught 23 passes for 188 yards • returned eight kickoffs for 263 yards, which included a 94-yard touchdown against Rutgers • recorded 1,609 all-purpose yards (12th most in school history in a single season) • scored 17 touchdowns (tied for second in school history in a single season) and tallied 102 points (tied for third most in school history in a single season) • averaged 4.8 yards per carry • rushed for 100 yards in six games, which is tied for ninth in a single season • rushed for 100 yards in four straight games (Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois, Purdue) to become the first Gopher since David Cobb in 2013 to accomplish that feat. Game-by-Game: Started against Oregon State and rushed 25 times for a career high 125 yards and two touchdowns • carried the ball 17 times for 74 yards and one touchdown against Indiana State • gained 99 yards and scored two touchdowns on 17 carries against Colorado State • rushed 23 times for 104 yards at Penn State and added four receptions for 39 yards • gained 44 yards on 11 attempts against Iowa and returned two kicks for 58 yards • rushed for 144 yards on 18 carries and scored two touchdowns at Maryland • touchdowns at Maryland covered eight and 70 yards • gained 111 yards and scored one touchdown on 22 carries against Rutgers • also returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown against Rutgers • had 257 all-purpose yards (111 rush, 27 receiving and 119 kick return) against Rutgers, which was the 13th most in school history • rushed 20 times for 100 yards and two touchdowns at Illinois and added two receptions for 19 yards • scored three touchdowns and rushed for 153 yards on 24 carries against Purdue • rushed for 53 yards and one touchdown at Nebraska and also caught three passes for 17 yards • rushed for 32 yards against Northwestern • gained 45 yards rushing and 25 yards receiving at Wisconsin • rushed for 74 yards and one touchdown against Washington State.

2015 • FRESHMAN SEASON: Played in 12 games and started seven • rushed 157 times for 670 yards (sixth most ever for a freshman) and two touchdowns • caught 16 passes for 124 yards. Game-by-Game: Made his collegiate debut against TCU and carried the ball 16 times for 88 yards and one touchdown • did not have a negative rush against TCU as he averaged 5.5 yards-per-carry • his 88 yards against TCU were the most by a Gopher freshman running back making his collegiate debut since Thomas Hamner ran for 158 yards on 22 carries on Sept. 7, 1996, at Northeast Louisiana (Amir Pinnix also rushed for 88 yards on 17 carries as a freshman in his collegiate debut against Toledo on Sept. 4, 2004) • carried the ball 21 times for 108 yards, which included five carries for 24 yards in overtime, at Colorado State • became the first Gopher freshman running back to run for more than 100 yards since DeLeon Eskridge rumbled for 124 yards at Illinois in 2008 • carried the ball 30 times for 73 yards against Kent State • totaled 152 all-purpose yards (94 rushing and 58 receiving) against Ohio • rushed 11 times for 32 yards at Northwestern • carried the ball 13 times for 52 yards at Purdue and also caught three passes for 15 yards • rushed eight times for 20 yards against Nebraska • carried the ball 12 times for 74 yards (6.2 average) against Michigan's No. 1-ranked defense that entered the game allowing only 64.7 yards on the ground • caught one pass for 17 yards against Michigan • started at Ohio State, but was limited with an injury • missed the Iowa game with an injury • was limited with an injury against Illinois, but carried the ball two times for 11 yards • rushed seven times for 35 yards and one touchdown against Wisconsin • carried the ball 15 times for 74 yards and caught one pass for five yards against Central Michigan.

2014: Redshirted.

HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Mundy's Mill High School • helped lead his team to an 8-5 record, which was the best season in school history • team advanced to Class 5A quarterfinals • first team All-State honoree • rushed 261 times for 2,201 yards and 26 touchdowns • team started 0-4 and he rushed 63 times for 368 yards and four touchdowns in those games • team finished 8-1 and he rushed 198 times for 1,833 and 22 touchdowns • rushed for more than 100 yards in 11 games, more than 200 yards in four games and more than 300 yards in two games • also caught five passes for 66 yards • rushed 172 times for 1,575 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior before suffering a season-ending injury • caught six passes for 55 yards • amassed 4,002 all-purpose yards (3,776 rushing, 121 receiving and 105 on kick returns) during his last two years of high school • football coach was Gregory Manior, while his father, Patrick Smith, was his offensive coordinator and baseball coach • high school teammate of former Gopher linebacker Jonathan Celestin • was a standout baseball player, as he was named Clayton Player of the Year by the Clayton Daily News and was voted Region 4-AAAAA Player of the Year by the region's coaches • played second base and shortstop and batted .587 with 12 RBI and 37 hits at leadoff • scored 27 runs and was 22 of 23 on stolen bases • ranked as a three-star recruit by ESPN, 247Sports and Scout, while Rivals gave him two stars • listed as the No. 80 running back in the nation by 247Sports and as the 110th best player in Georgia.

PERSONAL: Son of Patrick and Essie Smith • has already graduated with a degree in Youth Studies.