Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 0-51@ Oklahoma | 4 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 51-10vs Texas Southern | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 7 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#8
Shay Smith
Sophomore linebacker for UTEP. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 215 lb · El Paso, TX
Returning to UTEP for 2026
The numbers
7
tackles · 2026
0.5 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 tackles, 0.5 TFL, at Oklahoma
The play that turned itSwung UTEP from 48% to 81% to win.Kennesaw State at UTEP · 43-35
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for UTEP. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to UTEP in 2024.
Shay Smith
He has spent three seasons in the UTEP linebacker corps. One game to point at: 4 tackles, 0.5 TFL against Oklahoma — Week 1, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
20243 games
- Signed with UTEP3-star out of El Paso Franklin
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
UTEP
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
UTEP
Played his entire career under Scotty Walden.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Scotty Walden — 6-20 over that span.
2024UTEP3-9HC: Scotty Walden · Run-leaning
2025UTEP2-10HC: Scotty Walden · Balanced
2026UTEP1-1HC: Scotty Walden · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: qb hurries (83rd percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.5 TKL/g, 0.2 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Scotty Walden
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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 51–10
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
UTEP
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · UTEP
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +1 net (21 in / 20 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
UTEP · Last season: 2-10 · Talent rank #102 · 2026 recruiting class #92
The linebacker corps · UTEP
- #10Jayden Wilson92 tackles · 2025
- #4Garrett Hawkins10 tackles · 2025
- #41Vashon Brunswick II8 tackles · 2025
- #8Shay Smith2 games · 2026
- #13Isaiah Bogerty2 games · 2026
4 more on the roster · UTEP team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology