ABILENE, Texas – Senior linebacker Josh Smith added another accolade to his historic career on Wednesday, as he was named to the D3football.com All-Region 3 Team for the 2021 season.
Smith becomes the ninth McMurry player to land D3football.com All-Region honors – and the first since 2011. He was named to the third team defense as a linebacker.
By way of Bossier City, La., Smith led the American Southwest Conference with 9.7 tackles per game, finishing with 88 tackles, 45 solo, 5.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries on the season.
In the final game of his career against No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor, Smith broke the all-time career tackles record set in 1986 by Chris Joseph at 379. Coming into the season, Smith ranked fifth on the all-time list with 297. He ends his career with 385.
Perhaps his best game of the season came on the road against Texas Lutheran, where he piled up 18 tackles with 10 solo. He fell just three short of his career-high 21, set during his sophomore year in 2018 against East Texas Baptist. Smith also had nine tackles, eight solo, with 2.0 tackles for loss in the season opener against Howard Payne.
Smith had at least six tackles in every game this season, including four with at least 10 tackles.
This season marks the 17th annual D3football.com All-Region Team selection. Players must be deemed first or second team all-conference selections to be eligible. Smith earned first team honors this season, becoming one of the first players to five-peat on the all-conference list.
According to D3football.com, "players were nominated for these awards by the Sports Information Directors at the various schools, and schools and conferences were contacted multiple times as the season wound down to remind them to make their players eligible. In total, 1,036 players were nominated.
"All-Region teams are selected in balloting by sports information directors in each region and D3football.com staff. All players nominated for All-Region are eligible to be considered for the D3football.com All-America Team."
To view the complete All-Region 3 team, click here.
