Why Tyler Smith Should Win Mr. Football 2022
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By the time the 2021 football season came to a close, the rest of Class 2A football knew that Tyler J Smith Tyler J Smith 6'1" | 200 lbs | RB Barnwell | 2023 State SC was legit. As a…
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Continue ReadingBy the time the 2021 football season came to a close, the rest of Class 2A football knew that Tyler J Smith Tyler J Smith 6'1" | 200 lbs | RB Barnwell | 2023 State SC was legit.
As a junior, he ran for 2,151 yards and 28 touchdowns. He topped 100 yards in 10 of the 14 games he played, and – just for good measure – he put up another 107 receiving yards with three scores that way. Did we mention he also played linebacker and produced there?
As a sophomore at that position, he tailed 51.5 stops and five tackles for loss. As a junior, it was 53 tackles and three more for loss.
Small-school football player often star on both sides of the ball. But this was clearly an exceptional type of talent.
Sometime in the offseason, though, the staff made a decision based upon depth. What would happen if Smith was able to focus just on offense?
The answer has been a resounding confirmation of coach Dwayne Garrick’s wildest dreams.
“In 37 years of coaching, Tyler is the most physical back I have coached,” Garrick said. “His yards after contact are beyond impressive and his explosiveness also separates him from other backs. He leads our team by example and has put in the time in the offseason to get him to this point.”
Smith, who won the Class 2A state title in the high jump during the spring and boosted his weight room totals (360-pound bench, 500-pound squat) has dominated this fall.
In 10 games, his numbers are downright comical: 225 carries, 2,267 yards (10.1 ypc/226.7 ypg), nine 100-yard games.
And you ready for it?
Thirty-seven rushing touchdowns.
Needless to say, his regular-season highlight reel is long.
Smith was a near lock to make one of the state’s two primary all-star games despite a jam-packed list of top-end tailbacks dotting the South Carolina high school football landscape. Sure enough, he was chosen for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl, where – like his junior season with Barnwell – he may very likely see some time at both tailback and linebacker.
But that’s a discussion for the second week of December. For now, Smith remains as arguably the most dangerous player in the Class 2A playoffs.
Smith has already done enough to etch his name into a couple spots in the state record books for some single-season and career totals for touchdowns. And if Barnwell makes a deep playoff run, there’s a good chance that Smith hits the 3,000-yard mark this fall, putting him in an elite list of tailbacks nationwide.
The Warhorses’ success, then, goes hand in hand with that of its star running back.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a seven-part series breaking down the finalists for South Carolina’s Mr. Football award for this fall. Our scouts have seen these players this season and have in some cases tracked them from prior to their varsity playing days. The 2022 Mr. Football Award will be announced and presented at halftime of the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl on December 10.
2022 Mr. Football Finalists
Jarvis Green Jarvis Green 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Dutch Fork | 2023 State SC RB, Dutch Fork
Bryson James RB, Clinton
Raheim Jeter Raheim Jeter 6'3" | 220 lbs | QB Spartanburg | 2023 State SC QB, Spartanburg
Xzavier McLeod Xzavier McLeod 6'5" | 320 lbs | DL Camden | 2023 State SC DL, Camden
Jonah Norris Jonah Norris 5'11" | 200 lbs | RB Lexington | 2023 State SC RB, Lexington
LaNorris Sellers LaNorris Sellers 6'3" | 215 lbs | QB South Florence | 2023 State SC QB, South Florence
Tyler J Smith Tyler J Smith 6'1" | 200 lbs | RB Barnwell | 2023 State SC RB, Barnwell