The Shadow
On Thursday afternoon, Covington High School’s, Shaun Smith, Jr., signed on with Emory Henry College for Football this fall.
The CHS running back had quite the High School football career.
Smith, Jr., rushed for 4,662 yards in his four years. He also had 59 rushing touchdowns and over 60 touchdowns on offense total.
In Smith, Jr.’s freshman year, he named to the All-Pioneer District Football Second Team on offense and on defense (as a defensive end).
During his sophomore season, in a home meeting with Nelson County, Smith, Jr., grabbed the spotlight as he rushed for 212 yards and had five rushing touchdowns.
His sophomore season ended with his first of three All-Pioneer District Football First Team honors.
Smith, Jr., would also once again be named on the All-Pioneer District Footballs Second Team for defense, this time as a linebacker.
In his junior season, Smith, Jr., would rush for 1,796 yards, 2,076 of total offense, 25 rushing touchdowns, and 27 total offensive touchdowns for the year.
Those numbers were more than enough to win him his Offensive Player of the Years (OPOY) Honors in the Pioneer District.
During his first OPOY season, Smith ran for over 100+ yards in nine of Covington’s 11 games, including four 200-yard performances that came against Alleghany, Parry McCluer, Bath County and Auburn.
Not to outshine his offensive accomplishments during his junior year, Smith, Jr., for the first time would be named to the All-Pioneer District Football First Team for defense (as a linebacker).
In his senior season, Smith, Jr., rushed for 696 yards and had 10 rushing touchdowns in only four games played.
The season was shortened due to COVID-19 causing the Cougars season to end after only four games played. The Cougars Volleyball season was also cut short.
Smith, Jr.’s offensive numbers however, earned him back to back OPOY Honors for the Pioneer District.
Against Parry McCluer, Smith, Jr., had a career high 245 rushing yards and ran for four touchdowns. Including, rushing touchdowns of 60 and 72 yards.
In what was his final game played as a member of the Cougars football team, Smith, Jr., rushed for 200 yards on 24 carries, and had three rushing touchdowns in the teams 28-21 victory over the Alleghany Mountaineers in the Brackman Cup Game.
Three of the four games the Cougars played, Smith, Jr., ran for over 200+ yards in.
His lowest rushing total was 38 against Christiansburg High School. Despite that, he still had a rushing touchdown in the game to add to his credit.
After four phenomenal football seasons that accounted for two OPOY Honors in the Pioneer District and four First & Second Team Offensive All-Pioneer District Offensive Team honors and three All-Pioneer District Defensive Honors. Smith, Jr., will take his skills onto Emory Henry College to play for Wasps and his new head coach, Curt Newsome.
Newsome became the schools 20th head coach in January of 2014 and has a record of 28-21 in seven seasons with the Wasps.
Most recently, Newsome had served as the Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Line Coach at James Madison University (JMU) during the 2013 season. He also spent seven years as the Offensive Line Coach at Virginia Tech where he helped the Hokies to three ACC Championships, and seven bowl including the 2009 Orange Bowl.
Along with his football achievements, Smith, Jr., won the shot put title at the Combine Class 1 & 2 Region C Indoor Track Championships in 2020.
