Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | L 17-23vs Tulsa | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | Season-high 5 yds |
| Total | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 |
#80
Matt Smith
Senior tight end for Sam Houston. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 245 lb · Needham, MA · Needham HS / Rhode Island / UMass / Duke
Returning to Sam Houston for 2026
The numbers
5
receiving yards · 2026
1 catches · 5 per catch
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 rec, 5 yds, vs Tulsa
His career numbers, season by seasonMatt Smith
Across two seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Shane Montgomery and Phil Longo. The receipt: 5 rec yds, 1 receptions against Tulsa — Week 2, 2026.
5 REC YDS · 1 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
K.C. Keeler
Sam Houston
2026era →
Phil Longo
Sam Houston
Coaching transition mid-career: K.C. Keeler → Phil Longo. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Massachusetts2-10HC: Shane Montgomery · Run-leaning
2026Sam Houston0-2HC: Phil Longo · Pass-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
Concern: rec 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: 1.0 REC/g, 5.0 YDS/g, 5.0 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Phil Longo
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 | Sam Houston | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2024 | Massachusetts | 3 | 38 | 12.7 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 4 | 43 | 10.8 | 0 | -- |
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Sam Houston
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Tight end · Sam Houston
Returning around him
- 58% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- Transfer portal: +5 net (20 in / 15 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Sam Houston · Last season: 2-10 · Talent rank #117 · 2026 recruiting class #126
Background
Rhode Island Played in 14 games for the Rams ... caught 3 passes for 13 yards and a score ... had 2 grabs for 11 yards vs LIU (9/20) ... caught a 2-yard touchdown pass vs Brown (10/3) UMass 2024 Season Appeared in six games on the year ... tallied 38 yards on three receptions, all at Toledo (9/7)...
The tight end room · Sam Houston
- #87Max Whisner36 receiving yards · 2025
- #80Matt Smith1 game · 2026
- #82Cooper Stevensno box-score line yet
- #89Brock Kuhlno box-score line yet
- #85Cade Haysno box-score line yet
2 more on the roster · Sam Houston team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology