This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah receiver Shaky Smithson went from being in the coaches' doghouse to being the MWC Special Teams player of the Week. The senior was honored with the award Monday after returning five punts for 128 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown, in the Utes' 38-10 win over UNLV. He is the first Utah player to return a punt for a touchdown since 2007.He also had a 55-yard touchdown catch Saturday. Smithson had two fumbles in the Utes' opener against Pitt but retained his role as a starting receiver and returner after a strong week of practice.