LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Football running back Chris Smith has picked up his first preseason recognition ahead of the 2022 season after he was included on the Doak Walker Watch List, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced on Wednesday morning.
This is the second consecutive campaign Smith has been included on the watch list after being recognized prior to the 2021 season.
A First Team All-Sun Belt Conference All-Purpose back and a Third Team running back a year ago, Smith totaled 855 yards on 153 attempts in 13 appearances for the Vermilion and White and finished the historic season with eight rushing touchdowns.
Smith 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.
The Louisville, Mississippi, native led the team with 1,390 all-purpose yards after also amassing 481 kick return yards.
The award is named for SMU's three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. It is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.
Louisiana opens the 2022 season at Cajun Field on Saturday, Sept. 3, when the Ragin' Cajuns host in-state foe Southeastern Louisiana. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN+.
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