Army’s football team is finishing its regular season with its traditional rival Navy, while also earning accolades along the way.

Black Knights linebacker Arik Smith is the 2021 recipient of the Defender of the Nation Award from the Charlotte Touchdown Club, given to a football player at a service academy that has shown outstanding performance on and off the field.

“In football, I’d say I’m a really detailed and focused on the fundamentals of what I do,” said Smith.

Smith is a senior, captain and linebacker at West Point, and the second player to earn the Defender of the Nation award under Coach Jeff Monken in eight seasons at Army.

In his career at West Point, Smith has 230 total tackles, but it’s his achievements outside of football that helped him stand out.

“Outside of football, I just try to be caring and I guess, introspective, making sure I’m looking at what I’m doing, and treating others how they should be treated,” said Smith.

Serving others is as much of a part of Smith’s life as football, he says. He and his father spend time in the offseason restoring properties in Baltimore to provide housing to underprivileged families.

“That’s something I like to do. I’ve been doing that since I was a kid, probably five years old, around the same time I started playing football,” said Smith.

Smith’s first thought after receiving the award is the immediate impact it will make on the Army (8-3) program, which will face Missouri in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 22 in Fort Worth, Texas – after Saturday’s tilt with the Midshipmen at MetLife Stadium, of course.

“With this award, I’m trying to represent Army football by continuing in a path of excellence,” said Smith.

The Defender of the Nation award ceremony took place in Charlotte on December 6, and will air on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. Friday.

“The more awards that people like me and others on this team get, the attention it brings to the Army football program. It says we’re not just a program out here to compete, but to win,” said Smith.