Ito Smith

Although he split carries with Jalen Richard, Smith (5-9, 195) proved so explosive he still produced like an elite back, finishing with 1,643 yards from scrimmage (1,128 rushing, 515 receiving) while scoring 13 TDs in 14 games. Smith can't pick up all of the 215 touches that Richard had last year, but he should lay claim to much of it, setting the stage for an even bigger season. Southern Mississippi will take a step back with star WR Michael Thomas and Casey Martin gone, and coach Todd Monken, but any decrease in Smith's efficiency should be offset by a bigger workload.