College Football News – Guilford’s Robert Smith Named ODAC Defensive Player of the Week

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Guilford College sophomore Robert Smith (Winston-Salem, N.C./R.J. Reynolds) earned the Old Dominion Athletic Conference’s (ODAC) Defensive Football Player of the Week Monday after his performance Oct. 6 against Shenandoah University.

Smith, a linebacker, led the Quakers’ defensive effort that limited the Hornets to 206 total offensive yards and a single fourth-quarter touchdown in the 20-7 victory Oct. 6. He had four solo tackles and nine assists, extending his streak of games with 10 or more takedowns to six. Smith had two stops behind the line, including a fourth-quarter sack. He entered the game as the ODAC’s tackles leader and maintained the position with his dominating efforts.

Through five games, Smith has 64 total stops, 29 solo and 35 assisted, which ranks first in the ODAC. He averages 12.8 tackles per game and 3.5 sacks, which is fifth in the league. Smith has 11 tackles for loss on the season, also leading the ODAC. In this week’s Division III rankings released by the NCAA, Smith stands 10th in both tackles per game and tackles for loss.

Second-year head coach Chris Rusiewicz’s Quakers (2-3, 1-1 ODAC) play their next game Thursday (10/11) at 7:30 p.m. against ODAC-rival Bridgewater College at Armfield Athletic Center. The teams meet for the 38th time, with Guilford leading the series, 21-17.