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NC State's Hollywood Smothers named ACC RB of the Week after dominant performance vs. Campbell

image_6483441 (3)by: Noah Fleischman6 hours agofleischman_noah
Hollywood Smothers
© Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

NC State redshirt sophomore running back Hollywood Smothers only touched the ball six times, yet he still racked up 153 yards of total offense with two touchdowns in the Wolfpack’s 56-10 win over Campbell this past Saturday.

That dominant performance led the former Oklahoma transfer to become the ACC’s Running Back of the Week, the league announced Monday afternoon. It marked Smothers’ first weekly honor of his collegiate career.

Smothers, an elusive back with an innate knack of finding open space on a crowded field, has become one of NC State’s most-electric playmakers this season. He leads the ACC in rushing with 693 yards to go with five touchdowns on 100 carries as he is more than 200 yards ahead of the next-closest ball carrier in the league.

Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren hasn’t been surprised by Smothers’ hot start to the season after he watched the tailback account for 614 total yards of offense and seven touchdowns in the team’s last six games of the 2024 campaign.

“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 your watching,” Doeren said Monday. “It’s more than just him as a player. It’s how he is on the sideline, it’s how he’s cheering on his teammates. He is a very, very integral part of the success of our team when he’s in the game, and when he’s not.”

Smothers has now rushed for 100-plus yards in four of the Wolfpack’s first six games, including a career best 164 yards on 24 attempts in a Week 3 34-24 win at Wake Forest. And in the two games Smothers didn’t cross the century mark? He rushed for 76 and 67 yards, respectively.

The Charlotte native is on pace to become NC State’s first 1,000-yard back since Reggie Gallaspy II rushed for 1,091 in 2018. A closer look at NC State’s recent history is even more eye-opening as Smothers’ current total would have led the team in rushing for an entire season in each of the last three years.

As Smothers continues his hard-nosed running, Doeren remains pleased with what he’s seen so far from his top running back.

“I’m really proud of him,” Doeren said. “I love his desire. I love his heart. I love how tough he is.”

NC State visits Notre Dame, armed with its own elite running backs in Jeremyiah Love and Jadarian Price, on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on Peacock.