Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 77-6vs Southern | 10 | 69 | 6.9 | 0 | 28 | Season-high 69 yds |
| Total | 10 | 69 | 6.9 | 0 | 28 |
#37
Zane Smith
Sophomore running back for Houston. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
5′9″ · 235 lb · Fulshear, TX · Fulshear HS
Returning to Houston for 2026
The numbers
69
rushing yards · 2026
6.9 per carry
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 69 rush yds, vs Southern
His career numbers, season by seasonZane Smith
Second year in the Houston backfield, same address the whole way. The receipt: 69 rush yds against Southern — Week 2, 2026.
69 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 10 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Houston
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Willie Fritz — 12-3 over that span.
2025Houston10-3HC: Willie Fritz · Run-leaning
2026Houston2-0HC: Willie Fritz · Run-heavy
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: 69.0 YDS/g, 6.9 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Willie Fritz
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 77–6
vs Southern
69 rush yds (10 car)
Dominant 71-point win at home against Southern.
With K. Henderson — 83 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 23.8 · 54 rush yds (1 car) · 1 TD · C. Weigman — 120 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 48.3 · 6 rush yds (1 car)
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Southern · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +2.46(04:38) No Huddle-Shotgun #37 Z.Smith rush middle for 28 yards gain to the SU47 (#41 J.Jackson), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Southern · 3&2 · Q4 · EPA +1.19(03:05) Shotgun #37 Z.Smith rush middle for 3 yards gain to the SU44 (#45 K.Wilson), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Southern · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +1.01(03:54) No Huddle-Shotgun #37 Z.Smith rush middle for 9 yards gain to the SU38 (#32 J.Coleman)
- Week 2 · Southern · 2&6 · Q4 · EPA +0.62(02:00) Shotgun #37 Z.Smith rush middle for 7 yards gain to the SU33 (#2 J.Thurman), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Southern · 3&2 · Q3 · EPA +0.41(01:23) Shotgun #37 Z.Smith rush right for 3 yards gain to the SU23 (#16 D.Valdrey; #49 J.Lawton), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Southern · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.35(02:39) No Huddle-Shotgun #37 Z.Smith rush middle for 2 yards gain to the SU32 (#49 J.Lawton)
- Week 2 · Southern · 2&1 · Q3 · EPA -0.33(03:18) No Huddle-Shotgun #37 Z.Smith rush middle for 4 yards gain to the SU34 (#49 J.Lawton), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Southern · 3&2 · Q4 · EPA +0.22(07:20) Shotgun #37 Z.Smith rush middle for 5 yards gain to the SU10 (#76 R.Jackson; #49 J.Lawton), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Southern · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.11(02:27) Shotgun #37 Z.Smith rush middle for 4 yards gain to the SU40 (#45 K.Wilson)
- Week 2 · Southern · 2&6 · Q4 · EPA -0.03(08:00) Shotgun #37 Z.Smith rush right for 4 yards gain to the SU15 (#40 C.Hall; #49 J.Lawton)
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Houston
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Houston
Returning around him
- 81% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
- 1 Houston player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +1 net (18 in / 17 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Houston · Last season: 10-3 (AP #25) · Talent rank #57 · 2026 recruiting class #38
Background
As a Freshman (2025) Made his collegiate debut at Rice One rush in each game played Single-game high seven-yard rush at Oklahoma State 12 total rushing yards on two attempts High School Prepped at Fulshear Rushed for 1,945 yards on 199 carries and 35 touchdowns Helped Fulshear to a 23-2 record in...
The backfield · Houston
- #25DJ Butler301 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Makhi Hughes70 rushing yards · 2025
- #37Zane Smith12 rushing yards · 2025
- #16JayShon Ridgle4 games · 2025
- #6Re'Shaun Sanford II2 games · 2026
3 more on the roster · Houston team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology