Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 14-49@ Nevada | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 20-70@ Georgia | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#20
Zach Smith
Redshirt sophomore linebacker for Western Kentucky. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 224 lb · Red Oak, TX · Red Oak HS
Returning to Western Kentucky for 2026
The numbers
5
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, at Georgia
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for Western Kentucky. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to SMU in 2024.
- Transferred from SMU to Western Kentucky in 2025.
Zach Smith
SMU to Western Kentucky — the move that set up everything since. The receipt on tape: 3 tackles against Georgia, Week 2, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- portal record
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with SMU3-star out of Red Oak
20255 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Western Kentucky
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Tyson Helton — 9-6 over that span.
2025Western Kentucky9-4HC: Tyson Helton · Balanced
2026Western Kentucky0-2HC: Tyson Helton · Run-leaning, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
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: 2.5 TKL/g, 0.0 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
Tyson Helton
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 | Western Kentucky | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Western Kentucky | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 11 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Western Kentucky
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Western Kentucky
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: -4 net (19 in / 23 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Western Kentucky · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #87 · 2026 recruiting class #81
Background
2025 (r-Fr.) | 12/0: Smith appeared in 12 games during his first season on The Hill, primarily on special teams while also adding depth at linebacker. He finished the season with six total tackles, with a season-high three tackles in the Sept. 6 game at Toledo. Before WKU: Smith arrived at WKU af...
The linebacker corps · Western Kentucky
- #21Jaylen Wester106 tackles · 2025
- #3Anthony Brackenridge74 tackles · 2025
- #9Dominic Oliver20 tackles · 2025
- #22Jordan Donald14 tackles · 2025
- #20Zach Smith6 tackles · 2025
9 more on the roster · Western Kentucky team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology