Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 59-3vs Bryant | 4 | 17 | 4.3 | 1 | 6 | Season-high 17 yds |
| Total | 4 | 17 | 4.3 | 1 | 6 |
#34
Carson Smith
Senior running back for Army. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 230 lb · Middletown, MD · Middletown
CFB Index 32 · #294 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Army for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
17
rushing yards · 2026
1 TD · 4.3 per carry
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 17 rush yds, 1 TD, vs Bryant
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 running back for Army. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to Army in 2023.
Carson Smith
Just keeps getting the ball, series after series. Third year in the Army backfield, same address the whole way. One game to point at: 17 rush yds, 1 rush TD against Bryant — Week 1, 2026.
17 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 4 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Army2-star out of Liberty
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Army
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Army
Played his entire career under Jeff Monken.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Jeff Monken, all run-heavy offenses — 20-9 over that span.
2024Army12-2HC: Jeff Monken · Run-heavy
2025Army7-6HC: Jeff Monken · Run-heavy
2026Army1-1HC: Jeff Monken · Run-heavy
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
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: 17.0 YDS/g, 4.3 YPC, 1.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jeff Monken
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.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-AAC
Based on 2025: #30 of 37 American Athletic RBs
How the All-AAC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 59–3
vs Bryant
17 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD
Dominant 56-point win at home against Bryant.
With S. Howard — 63 rush yds (4 car) · C. Hellums — 59 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · 87 rush yds (7 car) · 2 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Built to take 20+ carries per game. Volume is the value.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Army
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Army
Returning around him
- 80% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
- Transfer portal: -2 net (0 in / 2 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Army · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #136 · 2026 recruiting class #138
DNA match
Player DNA
Workhorse
Built to take 20+ carries per game. Volume is the value.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Marco Lee’s 2023 season.
86%match
Matches Marco on
Yards / carry
Total rush EPA (college ability)
EPA / carry (adj)
Through 1 college season, his career arc tracks closest to Gary Brightwell’s path through Arizona.
99%match
NFL Rd 6
#4
Kierre Crossley
91%
Matches Gary on
Yards per carry
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Christopher Brown Jr.'s sophomore season at California (2021).
76%match
Matches Christopher on
Class year
Rush TD rate
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Carson Smith
Background
2025: Played in 11 games, making one start…Rushed for 231 yards and two scores on 55 carries…at Kansas State (9/6): Gained 23 yards on nine rushing attempts…vs. North Texas (9/20): Rushed for 10 yards on three attempts…at East Carolina (9/25): Recorded one carry…at UAB (10/4): Rushed for 29 yards...
The backfield · Army
- #34Carson Smith231 rushing yards · 2025
- #7Godspower Nwawuihe195 rushing yards · 2025
- #33Jake Rendina187 rushing yards · 2025
- #30Brennan Fisherno box-score line yet
- #20Tim Kloska1 game · 2026
8 more on the roster · Army team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology