Brock McKee, Louisiana Tech Associate Communications Director
DALLAS – For the sixth consecutive year, Louisiana Tech claimed a Conference USA Football specialty award, as senior quarterback J’Mar Smith was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year, the league announced Wednesday afternoon.
Smith posted a career year under center, throwing for 2,814 yards along with 17 touchdowns and just four interceptions. The first-team all-conference selection completed 65.8 percent of his passes (223-for-339) and led the league in passing yards per game (281.4).
Smith captained an offense that ranked in the upper echelon of the league in scoring (2nd, 34.0 PPG), total offense (1st, 445.2 YPG), passing offense (4th, 277.2 YPG), third-down conversions (1st, 41.8%), first downs (2nd, 23.8 per game) and red-zone offense (4th, 89.4%).
Among active FBS quarterbacks, Smith ranks 8th in career passing yards with 9,360. That number is third most in the Tech record books trailing only Luke McCown (12,994) and Tim Rattay (12,746).
Smith has thrown 50 touchdown passes in his career – fourth most in school history. His 746 career completions and 11 300-yard games are both third most in Tech’s football history.
The Meridian, Mississippi, native helped lead Tech to a 24-13 record as its starting quarterback over the past four seasons. He finished the 2019 regular season with a PFF passing grade of 86.0 – best in C-USA and 15th-best in the nation. He also added 337 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
All C-USA postseason football awards are chosen by a vote from the league’s 14 head football coaches.
The Bulldogs will head to Shreveport to play ACC-foe Miami in the Walk-On’s Independence Bowl on Dec. 26 at Independence Stadium at 3 p.m.
Tickets are on sale now on latechsports.com/tickets. Fans can also purchase tickets by calling the ticket office at (318) 257-3631 or visiting in person at the Thomas Assembly Center between the hours of 8:30-5:30, Monday – Friday. The ticket office will also be open for bowl game sales during upcoming basketball games through halftime.
For complete coverage of Bulldog Football, please follow Louisiana Tech on social media at @LATechFB (Twitter), /LATechFootball (Facebook) and @LATechFB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.
LA Tech Specialty Award Winners (Since joining C-USA in 2013)
2019 – J’Mar Smith – Offensive Player of the Year
2018, Jaylon Ferguson – Defensive Player of the Year
2017, Teddy Veal – Newcomer of the Year
2016, Ryan Higgins – Most Valuable Player
2016, Skip Holtz – Coach of the Year
2016, Carlos Henderson – Offensive Player of the Year
2016, Carlos Henderson – Special Teams Player of the Year
2015, Jeff Driskel – Newcomer of the Year
2014, Cody Sokol – Newcomer of the Year
