With Troy trailing 14-6 in the third quarter, Smith fielded a short kickoff and returned it 44 yards to give the Trojans great field position. Later in the period, he recovered an onside kick – a play Troy head coach Neal Brown said switched momentum.
The Trojans scored following both drives thanks to the short field and retook the lead from the Panthers. Troy eventually won 31-21.
Brown said Smith, who has just 13 rushes for 65 yards and two catches for 22 yards in six games, embodies the attitude he seeks for a special teams stalwart.