FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman expects his players to be tough, hard-nosed and blue-collar.
Following the Razorbacks’ first full-scale scrimmage of the preseason on Friday, the first-year head coach said 5-9, 185-pound running back Trelon Smith fits that description perfectly.
“He's tough on the field, he's tough off the field,” Pittman added. “That's his personality.”
At the running back position, all eyes will be on senior tailback Rakeem Boyd, who in late December announced he would bypass the 2020 NFL Draft and return to Arkansas for one final season. Boyd established himself as one of the top backs in the SEC last fall, rushing for more than 1,100 yards and eight scores.
But Smith, a transfer from Arizona State, is eagerly awaiting his opportunity to make an impact beyond the practice field and be a productive complement to Boyd. The Houston native drew high praise from Arkansas’ previous coaching staff for his play as a scout team back in 2019.
Similar reviews have come in with the new coaching staff and teammates.
“The guy is a phenomenal effort guy,” Pittman said. “He has a lot of talent. (I like) the way that he works, the way he goes about his business. He’s a tough kid.
“I’ve really grown fond of the way he works.”
Junior receiver Mike Woods, who caught a team-high four touchdown passes last season, described Smith as an electric player and explosive out of the backfield.
“We’ve got Rakeem Boyd, he’s really good. Everybody knows that,” Woods said on WoodVille, his personal YouTube channel. “But Trelon Smith is going to be a real surprise to a lot of people.”
In Friday’s scrimmage, Smith broke a tackle and spun away from a defender and scored a touchdown late, which provided a confidence boost. He added that he was pleased with his work in pass protection and that there weren’t a lot of missed assignments from running backs.
Boyd was limited to 2-3 carries, according to Pittman. Redshirt freshman A’Montae Spivey was dinged up and did not receive any reps.
After a redshirt season in 2019, Smith is itching to hit the field and driven to make an impact for the Razorbacks. He has played football since he was 6 years old, and the game means the world to him.
“I’m willing to give it my all. Every play, every down,” Smith said Friday during a Zoom conference with reporters. “I’m a team player. I'm selfless. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get the win. If they need me to go to receiver, I'll go to receiver. If they need me to play special teams, I'll go play special teams.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to get the win, and I think that's what (Arkansas coaches) like about me the most.”
Smith comes from a harsh background, he says. He didn’t have much growing up. Each time he touches the field, he views it as an opportunity to not only play the game he loves but as a stepping stone to better the lives of those close to his heart, specifically his mother and father.
“My ‘why’ is simple. It’s my family,” Smith said. “I just keep that in mind every time I step on the field. It’s bigger than me. It’s bigger than me. I have people depending on me.
“I feel like that’s truly my motivation. I do it for them.”
Smith shares a close bond, too, with Boyd, another Houston native. He considers Boyd his big brother. Before arriving at Arkansas, Smith knew of the Razorbacks’ star tailback, but the two weren’t close friends.
That changed last year. Their relationship continues to grow each day.
“When I go home, he comes home with me,” Smith said. “We go to Houston together, we travel back together. And we even work out and train together. Ever since I got here, Rakeem put me under his wing. I started learning from him, he’s learning from me. It’s going to be a very great deal.
“I think you guys are going to like what you see come football season.”