Kansas Jayhawks Football: Top Sixteen All-Time in Rushing Yards
By Joel Wagler
Kansas Jayhawks All-Time Rushing Yards Leaders Number Four: Laverne Smith
Want to know Nolan Cromwell only threw 98 passes in two seasons? That reason was Laverne Smith. Along with Cromwell and Norris Banks, the Jayhawks were able to throw a ferocious threesome at opposing defenses.
Smith was a beast of a back in the mid-1970s who produced more than 970 yards three straight seasons. His high water mark was as a sophomore when he put up 1,181 yards, the tenth highest total in the country in 1974.
- Rushing Yards – 3,192
- Carries – 488
- Rushing Touchdowns – 23
- Yards per Cary – 6.5
- Total Yards from Scrimmage – 3,409
- Total Touchdowns – 25
Smith’s 6.5 career average was the seventh-best in Big 8 Conference history, and his 3,192 is the 12th most rushing yards accumulated in the 30-year history of that conference.
Smith was selected in the fourth round of the 1977 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. A hip injury ended his NFL career after seven games, 14 carries, and just 55 yards.
Laverne Smith was known for his incredible speed. Joe Starkey of TribLive.com quoted the Steelers’ long-time running backs coach, Dick Hoak.
"“Now, years and years ago, we had a kid – what was his name• Oh yes, Laverne Smith from the University of Kansas. He probably had something like Willie’s [Parker] speed.”"
Starkey also quoted former Lawrence Journal-World sportswriter Chuck Woodling in this article.
"“For pure speed, he is unsurpassed. Yes, the Wichita native was faster than even Sayers.” That would be Gale Sayers, of course, who, along with John Riggins, rank behind the third-place Smith on Kansas’ all-time rushing list."
Smith finished his career as the all-time leading rusher for the Jayhawks but now sits at number four.
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