Corey Smith’s breakout sophomore season leads to attention from DI football programs
WAUKESHA, Wis. (BVM) – It has already been a busy offseason for Catholic Memorial High School sophomore Corey Smith. The running back has already received four scholarship offers from Division I football programs since helping the Crusaders win state back in November.
“The past two weeks I’ve had schools coming in to talk to me,” Smith said. “It’s been a really good
experience… I can’t believe it’s true honestly.”
First Central Michigan in early December and then Iowa State, Nebraska and Purdue in January. Adding to the excitement is the fact that for Smith, his recruitment is starting a year earlier than he thought it would.
“Actually I didn’t,” Smith said about getting recruited as a sophomore. “I was getting told by a lot of people that I wouldn’t get an offer until my junior season.”
However, after the season Smith had for CMH, it’s no surprise that colleges wanted to start courting him to run for them in college.
As a freshman, Smith had limited touches on varsity but this past fall as a sophomore, he had a breakout season. Smith rushed for 1,130 yards on just 96 carries with 18 rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns.
“The way I think of it in my head is just get the ball and try to make the best play I can that play,” Smith said.
That mentality paid off because Smith had to share the backfield with junior PJ Reynolds and senior Obacoso Allen who rushed for 529 and 786 yards, respectively.
With the crowded backfield, Smith had to make the most of his touches which never went over 15 attempts a game, leading to his 11.8 yards per attempt during the season. Smith even had multiple games where he only had four rushing attempts but had over 100 rushing yards.
“I feel like it just came naturally,” Smith said. “I feel like it’s a dodgeball game or tag.”
Weaving through the defense and using his speed made Smith a big play threat every time he touched the ball. He was an integral part of CMH’s undefeated season and why it won its third state title in four years.
In the state semifinal game, Smith rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns and then in the state championship, he had another 78 yards and a touchdown.
“I was doing it for my seniors …That was the best senior group ever,” Smith said. “They showed me how to be a leader both on and off the field.”
Along with the seniors, Smith always plays for another group of people: his family.
“That’s honestly why I play football, it’s for my family,” Smith said.
They motivate him to continue to play and as he enters the recruiting process, they will play a huge part in where he decides to go. Smith will be making the decision based on what is best for both him and his family.
With four offers already on the table and two more seasons of high school football, there will be more colleges that offer Smith a scholarship, meaning he will have plenty of options. However, Smith does have some schools in mind that hopes he will be able to play for.
Those two colleges are Oregon and Jackson State University.
“I want to be a top player in college and make it to the league through a HBCU because not a lot of people make it… I want to be one of those,” Smith said.
It’s a goal that Smith is working toward everyday and after what he was able to do in just one season, he is heading in the right direction to accomplish that goal.
