Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-13vs Youngstown State | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 | 8 | Season-high 13 yds |
| Total | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 | 8 |
#28
Ahmir Smith
Junior running back for Kentucky. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
5′10″ · 200 lb · Santee, SC
Returning to Kentucky for 2026
The numbers
13
rushing yards · 2026
6.5 per carry
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 13 rush yds, vs Youngstown State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 running back for Kentucky. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Northern Illinois in 2024.
Ahmir Smith
Two head coaches in two seasons, at two different programs. One game to point at: 13 rush yds against Youngstown State — Week 1, 2026.
13 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 2 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Northern Illinois3-star out of Calhoun County
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
Kentucky
2026era →
Will Stein
Kentucky
Coaching transition mid-career: Mark Stoops → Will Stein. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Northern Illinois8-5HC: Thomas Hammock · Run-leaning
2026Kentucky1-1HC: Will Stein · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / carry (93rd percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 13.0 YDS/g, 6.5 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Will Stein
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kentucky | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 | -- |
| 2024 | Northern Illinois | 3 | 4 | 1.3 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 5 | 17 | 3.4 | 0 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 45–13
13 rush yds (2 car)
Dominant 32-point win at home against Youngstown State.
With K. Minchey — 301 yds · 4 TD · 0 INT · 17 rush yds (1 car) · T. O'Hara — 42 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 45 LONG
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Kentucky
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Kentucky
Returning around him
- 19% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- 4 Kentucky players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +4 net (31 in / 27 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kentucky · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #23 · 2026 recruiting class #60
The backfield · Kentucky
- #26Jason Patterson225 rushing yards · 2025
- #1CJ Baxter196 rushing yards · 2025
- #2Jovantae Barnes45 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Tovani Mizell10 rushing yards · 2025
- #28Ahmir Smith1 game · 2026
3 more on the roster · Kentucky team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology