The Kentucky Football program is mourning the tragic loss of redshirt freshman defensive lineman Nic Smith, whose passing was announced by the university on Monday.
In a statement posted on social media, the program expressed its sorrow over the loss of one of its own.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved teammate Nic Smith. We extend our thoughts and prayers to Nic’s family, friends and the members of our program.”
Kentucky head coach Will Stein also released a statement following
the heartbreaking news.
“Today our hearts are broken. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nic’s family, friends, teammates and everyone who knew and loved him,” Stein said. “This is a tremendous loss for our program and university community. We will continue to support one another and honor his memory.”
Smith, a 6-foot-5, 282-pound defensive lineman from Loganville, Georgia, joined Kentucky as a member of the Wildcats’ 2025 recruiting class. A 3-star prospect out of Walnut Grove High School, Smith chose Kentucky over offers from Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern.
During his high school career, Smith developed into one of the top defensive players in his region. As a senior, he recorded 40 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, two sacks, and 16 quarterback hurries. He earned All-Region honors as a junior and was known for his versatility, also contributing on offense and special teams while playing basketball for Walnut Grove.
Nicknamed “Big Happ,” Smith described himself as happy, friendly, and nice. He enjoyed cooking and baking and dreamed of one day starting his own food business after football. A community leadership and development major, Smith was widely respected by teammates and coaches.
Smith redshirted during the 2025 season and was preparing for his future with the Wildcats. His loss will be deeply felt throughout the Kentucky Football program and the community.
