LAFAYETTE – Return specialist Chris Smith earned his second Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week honor of the season following an electrifying performance in Louisiana Football’s 24-20 victory at UAB, the league office announced on Monday morning.
Smith is the first Ragin’ Cajun to win the honor twice in the same season since Daniel Cadona did so in 2014 and one of seven to do so in the Sun Belt era.
A native of Louisville, Mississippi, Smith seized the momentum for Louisiana with a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown at the end of the first half against the Blazers, his second kickoff return for a touchdown this year. He finished the game with 160 yards on four returns.
The return was the longest kickoff return for a touchdown by a Ragin’ Cajun since Raymond Calais did so against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 2, 2017 (100 yards) and was just the seventh kickoff return for a touchdown by a Ragin’ Cajun in the last decade.
Smith also joined Calais and Darryl Surgent as the only three Ragin’ Cajuns to have two or more kickoff returns for a touchdown in their careers in the last 10 years.
On top of his stellar special teams performance, he added six rushes for 22 yards out of the backfield.
Louisiana returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 31, when it continues its road swing at Texas State. Kickoff on Halloween night is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.
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