Senior tailback Tucker Smith stands out to Coach Scott Surratt in the midst of Carthage High’s perfect season and 36-game winning streak.
“I can’t tell you how important he is to this program,” Surratt told Texas Scorecard. “He does a lot of the little things that make the difference between winning and losing, having intangibles that are just off the charts compared to some other backs. That’s who he is.”
The numbers also speak to the 5-foot-10, 185-pound senior’s versatility.
Over the Bulldogs’ first 10 games, Smith rushed for over 500 yards and has six receiving scores out of the backfield. He also handles kick returns for 4A-1 Region III District 10 leaders.
“He’s a slasher with really great hands and feet who runs great routes and takes care of the ball,” Surratt added. “He’s a speedster, but can get you the short yards when you need them.”
The Bulldogs have averaged nearly 41 points a game this season and haven’t scored less than 28 in any outing.
“We take it day-by-day and strive to get better each time out in everything we do,” Surratt said. “We talk about our goals every day and work on the fundamentals that are needed to accomplish them.”
Surratt said Smith was widely viewed as one of the team’s leaders, understanding what was needed for the back-to-back state champs to keep their dream of a perfect season alive and build on their run of six state titles in 10 seasons.
“He just comes to work every day ready to work,” Surratt added. “He plays three different sports”—the others being baseball and track—”and is just dedicated to whatever it is he’s doing.”
Surratt said Smith wants to continue playing sports in college, with football being his favorite sport.
“I think he has a great chance of that,” he said. “When everything is over with this season, we’ll sit down and talk a lot more about things.”
