RB Jahmir Smith Must Find His Groove In 2020

Junior running back Jahmir Smith will be counted on to be a key role player in the Notre Dame backfield

Notre Dame certainly doesn’t lack for bodies at running back in 2020. The Irish currently plan to return five scholarship backs to the roster, and there’s a chance a graduate transfer could be added to the mix.

The question isn’t quantity, it’s quality. Notre Dame needs at least two backs to step up this season, and another candidate is rising junior Jahmir Smith.

Smith spent a portion of the 2019 season as the backup running back to starter Tony Jones Jr., and like classmate C’Bo Flemister, he showed flashes of being a productive player last season.

In a continuing theme at the position, the issue for Smith was consistency. There were strong moments, like his 32 yards on five carries (6.4 YPC) against USC, and 58 yards for eight carries (7.3 YPC) against Duke. The issue was Smith couldn’t stay healthy, missing three games during the season, and the flashes were countered with ineffectiveness.

Smith finished the season with 180 yards on 42 carries (4.3 YPC), but he rushed for 0 yards on seven carries in the final three regular season games before missing the bowl matchup against Iowa State. Those 180 yards were the second most among the runs backs, but what started as a promising first season in the rotation ended with Smith on the sidelines.

STAYING HEALTHY AND MOTIVATED

Smith has been dinged up throughout his two-year career at Notre Dame, suffering both upper body and lower body injuries at different times. When Armstrong went down in the opener there was a chance for Smith to step into the rotation along with Jones, but after carrying the ball eight times and scoring twice against Louisville, he injured his toe in practice the following week, which knocked Smith out for the next two games.

Smith must show he can stay healthy and be locked in if he’s going to push for playing time. He’s a back with some talent, and while he won’t blow anyone away with speed, the Sanford, N.C. native has good vision, foot quickness and a strong feel for reading blocks. When he’s on the field he’s a solid back, but he must be able to stay on the field.

An ideal situation for Notre Dame is that Smith stays healthy and that both he and Flemister are able to clean up their game and be more consistent runners.

Smith and Flemister complement each other well, with Flemister being a slasher and Smith having the body type and skill set to hammer defenses between the tackles.

FOOTWORK IS KEY

Smith has an odd technical quirk that gets him in trouble at times. The 5-11, 205-pound back has a tendency to lean forward way more than normal, which throws off his balance. There are snaps where Smith will get his shoulders so far out in front of his feet that he’ll start to fall down even with no one near him. 

There was one particular run this season where Smith ran through the hole and fell down after gaining about seven yards, but he was never touched and started to stumble while in the backfield.

Keeping his base and showing a bit more patience as a runner is important for Smith if he’s going to maximize his yardage opportunities and allow his strengths as a player to shine.

PASS GAME PRODUCTION MUST IMPROVE

Up to this point in his career Smith has provided very little in the pass game. He can do work in the screen game, but the broken hand he suffered in fall camp kept him from doing much else. Smith also needs to improve as a pass blocker, something he should be much better at when you consider his squatty build, frame and physical style of play.

FIND A ROLE

Smith has a chance to be an every down back, but he will need to prove himself capable of being more consistent as a runner and be more productive in the pass game if that’s going to happen.

At the very least, if he’s willing to put in the work during the offseason, Smith should be able to seize hold of a rotational role where he can carry the football and hit defenses with a bigger body and a tough running style.

If his game improves, especially as a pass blocker, Smith could end up in one of the top two spots in the rotation.

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