NC State’s comeback victory over Wake Forest not only pushed the Wolfpack to 3-0, it also gave running back Hollywood Smothers another chance to shine on a big stage. Through three games, Smothers has already piled up 380 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while adding 10 receptions for 42 yards in the passing game. His blend of consistency and explosiveness has begun to draw early Heisman Trophy buzz.
Smothers, though, kept the spotlight on the team.
“Just what we came to do, going 1-0 every week was a blessing,” he said in the locker room. “This team’s got a lot of grit. That’s our goal, go 1-0 every week. Just a regular day.”
Even when NC State trailed 14-0 early, the sophomore tailback never doubted the outcome.
“We are family here. We believe in each other. We’re going to fight. We might bend, but we never break,” Smothers said. “We knew the game wasn’t over…players make plays and I think that’s what we did.”
NC State’s comeback win over Wake Forest lifted the Wolfpack to 3-0 and gave running back Hollywood Smothers another chance to showcase his star power. Through three weeks, the sophomore has already piled up 380 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while adding 10 receptions for 42 yards out of the backfield. His steady production and big-play ability have begun to generate early Heisman Trophy buzz.
Smothers, though, kept the spotlight on the team.
“Just what we came to do, going 1-0 every week was a blessing,” he said in the locker room. “This team’s got a lot of grit. That’s our goal, go 1-0 every week. Just a regular day.”
Even after NC State fell behind 14-0 to Wake Forest, Smothers never lost faith.
“We are family here. We believe in each other. We’re going to fight. We might bend, but we never break,” he said. “We knew the game wasn’t over…players make plays and I think that’s what we did.”
The numbers back up his impact. Smothers is averaging six yards per carry this fall and has already matched last season’s scoring pace, when he finished with 571 yards and six touchdowns. Sitting just seven yards shy of 1,000 for his career, he is positioning himself as one of the ACC’s most dangerous offensive weapons.
If a serious Heisman push is going to materialize, the upcoming stretch will be critical. NC State travels to Duke before hosting Virginia Tech and Campbell, then faces a punishing second half featuring Notre Dame, Miami, Pitt, Florida State, North Carolina, and Georgia Tech.
The Wolfpack haven’t had a Heisman finalist since Phillip Rivers finished seventh in 2003. Smothers is beginning to build the résumé to change that, but his focus remains simple.
“It’s a blessing, but it ain’t our goal,” he said. “Our goal is to go 1-0 each week.”
Leave a Reply