Sept. 4, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - UCF junior tailback Kevin Smith (Miami, Fla./Southridge) and senior placekicker Michael Torres (Thiells, N.Y./UMass) were named the Conference USA Offensive and Special Teams Players of the Week, respectively, by league officials on Tuesday after the Knights opened their 2007 campaign with a 25-23 victory at NC State.
Smith opened the game with an 80-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage and finished with a career-high 217 yards in the victory. The 80-yard run was the longest rush in UCF history and Smith added an 8-yard touchdown run in the second quarter as the Knights built a commanding 25-3 lead at halftime.
A preseason All-Conference USA first team selection, Smith had a career-high 35 carries in the contest as he logged the 10th 100-yard rushing effort of his career and broke the 200-yard plateau for the second time.
Torres made all three of his field goal attempts in the game, connecting on a 40 and 36-yarder in the first quarter and adding a 19-yarder as time expired going into halftime.
The weekly league honors are the first in the careers of Smith and Torres and the first for a Knight since 2005 when Jason Venson was honored as the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week in late November.
The 2007 campaign will serve as the Knights' first at Bright House Networks Stadium on campus. UCF makes its debut at the 45,000-seat facility on Sept. 15 against Texas. Season tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 407-UCF-1000.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out www.ucfphotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pics.