Rahkeem Smith has become one of Georgia Tech’s most noticeable sparks this season, and it’s not hard to see why. The Yellow Jackets have gotten a jolt from his work on special teams, where he’s already ripped off a kickoff return for a touchdown and kept defenses on alert every time he gets a chance to touch the ball.
Smith’s path to this point has been patient. He didn’t play last season after arriving from Bowling Green, but this year he has settled in as a reliable return man for Georgia Tech.
“Last year, you know, I did red shirt and from that to this year, I kind of gave myself this mindset that, you know, you never know what happens. So whenever my name is called, my number's called, I'm going to make the most of it. And I feel like that's what I've been doing,” said Smith
His biggest splash came in the opener against Colorado, when he took a kickoff back for a touchdown. Even beyond that play, he has been close to breaking another return open several times.
Smith says the key is knowing when to be aggressive and when to stay disciplined.
“Well, one, my coach told me to be pretty smart with my return. So, if it's too deep, close to going outside like the end zone, then I'm not going to return it.
But if I'm, let's say, like two or three yards inside, then I'm going to return it. With me trying to like set up the blocks, I feel like it's like an instinct.
So, like if I see somebody running directly towards me, I'm going to attack them and give myself a two-way go,” said Smith
That approach will matter again on Saturday against Virginia Tech, where Smith expects a tough atmosphere and a defense that will force Georgia Tech to be sharp.
“I feel like the environment is going to be very hostile, so we are getting ourselves very prepared for that. They have a really good defense. So, we've been looking at different schemes of that and we just feel like our plan is you just go out there and play hard,” said Smith.
Georgia Tech will need contributions wherever it can find them, and Smith fits that bill. He can help as a returner, a blocker, or a playmaker with the ball in his hands. With points expected to be hard to come by, he stands out as one of the Yellow Jackets’ possible difference-makers as they try to pick up their second conference win of the season.
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After getting past Duke, Georgia Tech turns quickly to a Week 7 trip to Virginia Tech with the sort of matchup that usually tells a team a lot about itself. The Yellow Jackets are still searching for consistency, and this one figures to test how well they can carry over the energy from a recent win into a tougher road setting against a Hokies team that has not exactly looked dominant but is still being treated as the favorite.
What makes the challenge sharper is the state of Georgia Techs defense and the leadership it has leaned on. Kyle Effords absence leaves a noticeable void for a unit that has already had to adjust, and the Jackets will need the next group to step up and play as one if they want to stay competitive. Against a familiar ACC opponent, the margin for error is slim, and this game may come down to whether Georgia Tech can keep its collective footing long enough to make things interesting late. [Read more 🡒]