This topic was brought up in the comments of Five Things and since it took a few minutes to research, I thought I'd share Rod Smith's fumbling history for those that might be interested since he put the ball on the ground again at Indiana.
2011 Season: 29 carries, 2 fumbles
- Game 1: Akron - 18 carries, 1 fumble
- Game 2: Toledo - 7 carries, 1 fumble
- Game 4: Colorado - 4 carries, 0 fumble
- He didn't carry it one time after Colorado.
2012 Season: 20 carries, 2 fumbles
- Game 1: Miami - 3 carries, 0 fumble
- Game 2: UCF - 3 carries, 1 fumble
- Game 4: UAB - 4 carries, 0 fumble
- Game 6: Nebraska - 2 carries, 0 fumble
- Game 7: Indiana - 6 carries, 1 fumble
Career: 49 carries, 4 fumbles
Basically, if he were a workhorse back averaging 25 carries a game, he'd have fumbled twice each in those two games. Now, of course, he hasn't been a workhorse back and it could be argued getting into a flow carrying the ball might actually decrease his propensity to fumble but it's a chicken/egg conundrum. It's hard to sign up for giving the guy multiple carries when he track record says he's gonna cough it up once every 12 carries. With Hyde on a roll, Rod might only have kickoff returns to show he can hold on to the ball for awhile.
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