Sapulpa senior running back Marco Smith Marco Smith 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Sapulpa | 2024 State OK was another player that we put the spotlight on back in August when we wrote about comeback players to watch. Smith missed a lot of the 2022 season with injuries but when he was on the field as a junior, he was one of the better running backs week after week. This season, Smith was at full strength and it showed as he put up some monster numbers this fall. Each week, it seemed like Smith was running for at least 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Chieftains had one of the better offensive units in Class 5A this season and Smith was a big part of that. He was hungry for a big senior year and he lived up to the hype.

After missing the majority of his junior season, it was only a matter of time before Sapulpa running back Marco Smith Marco Smith 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Sapulpa | 2024 State OK made up for that lost time. He was one of the players we highlighted before the season that was primed for a big bounce back season. He’s done that and then some as he already has over 20 rushing touchdowns on the ground and well over 1,000 yards rushing. He’s also helped the Chieftains in the pass game and Sapulpa certainly comes into the playoffs with one of the more explosive offenses in Class 5A. And they play in arguably the best first round game against Claremore.

After two straight years, it’s very clear that Sapulpa senior running back Marco Smith Marco Smith 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Sapulpa | 2024 State OK loves to play against Tahlequah. On Friday night, the Chieftains rallied from a 28-12 halftime deficit to stun the Tigers when Smith scored the game-winning touchdown with just 19 seconds remaining. This was the second consecutive season that Smith scored what would be the game-winning touchdown against Tahlequah with less than a minute to play. It also capped off an impressive night for the Sapulpa senior as they bounced back from their rivalry loss to Sand Springs. He finished with nearly 250 yards and four touchdowns on 23 carries. None bigger than his final carry of the game.

We wrote about the return of Sapulpa 2024 running back Marco Smith Marco Smith 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Sapulpa | 2024 State OK in the Sapulpa team preview last month so some of this may sound very repetitive. But we’re still very excited to see Smith back on the field and ready to make an impact for the Chieftains on offense. Last season Smith only played in three full games before getting hurt in the fourth and missing the rest of his junior season. Despite only playing in three and a half games, Smith ran for nearly 700 yards and we are fired up to see what Smith can do with a full season. Like we mentioned in that Sapulpa preview, we think that the Chieftains are a team that can absolutely make some noise and contend in Class 5A. They come into this year as a top five team in our preseason rankings and despite finishing fourth in the district last year, we think they can contend with district favorite Del City for that crown this year. Having a healthy Smith back is a big reason behind that and the Chieftain offense will benefit from being incredibly balanced. They have a legitimate three-headed monster at quarterback, running back and wide receiver. We think they’ll be among the best in 5A.

Sapulpa 2024 running back Marco Smith Marco Smith 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Sapulpa | 2024 State OK was primed for a massive junior season but the majority of it was cut short due to a broken collarbone that he suffered in non-district play. Despite the injury, Smith was able to come back in the final weeks of the regular season and overall, he got into three full games and the game he got injured in. And despite only playing in three and a half games, he racked up well over 600 yards on the ground and was also a threat out of the backfield in the passing game. Smith is a dynamic runner in the open field and he proved that last year in his limited action. There are a few players that we’re fired up to see what they can do with a full season of health and Smith is near the top of the list for us coming into 2023.