NC State May Have an All-American in the Making
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RALEIGH — In a history dating back to the late 1800s, only 11 NC State players earned consensus All-America honors for the Wolfpack during their time with the program. 2025 might see a 12th join that list, as sophomore running back Hollywood Smothers has taken the ACC by storm with his performance through the first half of the season.
The dynamic running back looked ready for a major breakout after a strong finish to the 2024 season. It's safe to say Smothers' performance through six weeks has been nothing short of a revelation and brought great confidence to a much-improved offense for the Wolfpack.
Smothers dominated the competition for the most part early in the year, but does he have a case for the All-American team?
The Numbers
Entering the Week 7 matchup with Notre Dame, Smothers has 693 rushing yards on 100 carries, five rushing touchdowns, 21 receptions for 124 yards and one touchdown reception. The sophomore has rushed for over 100 yards in four of the Wolfpack's six games, including a career-high performance against Wake Forest when he ran for 164 yards.
He ranks first in the ACC and second nationally for rushing yards, but his touchdown total is only good for sixth in the conference. Digging deeper, Smothers' numbers become even more impressive given the offensive line play.
Of his 693 yards, 472 have come after contact with defenders. He's forced an absurd 32 missed tackles through the first six games as well. As for expectations, Smothers' performance isn't surprising to head coach Dave Doeren.
"I knew last year, as the season wore on, how explosive he was and that if he would have the offseason that we needed him to have, where he could sustain his health, that he would be what he is, what you're watching," the coach said.
What Stands in His Way?
Missouri's Ahmad Hardy has the best statistics in the nation, leading with 730 yards and nine touchdowns. Assuming he stays healthy, it's fairly safe to guess Hardy will be a consensus All-American by the end of the season. There's room for two running backs on the first team, however.
The competition gets much more difficult for NC State and Smothers in the final six weeks of the season. Three of the next six opponents top the ACC in rush defense, with Pitt being the best followed by Miami and Florida State. Neutralizing Smothers will be a major point of emphasis for those teams when they face the Pack.
To have a chance at being an All-American for NC State, Smothers will need to be consistent and improve his touchdown totals. He'll also need to help the Wolfpack reach a bowl game, as it's unlikely for a player on an irrelevant team to be selected for such an honor.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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