Cowboys backup running back Rod Smith made a name for himself during Ezekiel Elliott's six-game suspension in 2017. Here are 10 things to know about the Cowboys' backup running back.

1) The basics

Rod Smith was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Jan. 10, 1992. He starred at Fort Wayne's Paul Harding High, rushing for 6,625 yards and 66 touchdowns to earn All-State honors. He then played for Ohio State and bounced around NFL rosters, joining the Cowboys in October 2015 after the Seahawks waived him. Seattle had initially signed Smith as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2015.

2) He's Jaylon's brother

Rod's younger brother Jaylon Smith plays linebacker for the Cowboys, you might have heard. Smith's dramatic knee injury in Notre Dame's bowl game dropped him from a top pick to the Cowboys' second rounder in 2016. As he worked his entire year for his nerve to regenerate, Jaylon received much press. All along, Rod flew under the radar.

"We understood it was going to be possible when Jerry [Jones] called me that night [of the draft], but for it to really happen, it's a great feeling," Rod said of playing with his brother.

3) Zero to 100 now he's here

Smith didn't get much playing time in his first two years as an NFL player, or even in much of this year. He carried the ball 23 times for 99 yards in his first 28 games. But the last three games, he's exploded. Beginning with the Cowboys' Thanksgiving loss to the Chargers, Smith has four touchdowns in three games. He's carried the ball 24 times for 115 yards averaging 4.6 yards a carry.

"I was stoked, super excited for him, happy for him, proud of him," Jaylon told him after his first career TD. "That's what I told him when he came to the sideline. He's worked so hard, he's been through so much, he's always kept his eyes on the prize."

Here's a look back at that push:

4) Zeke has an...interesting nickname for him

Rod has been with the Cowboys - at least on the practice squad - since October 2015, before the Cowboys took Zeke with the fourth pick overall in 2016. But the two running backs' team bonds date back further. Smith played for Ohio State from 2011-14, with Elliott joining the team in 2013.

Zeke was exuberant on Twitter after Smith's two touchdowns against the Giants, tweeting "BOOBIE !" first followed by an explanation. He also tweeted "LET HIM SPINNNN!"

BOOBIE ! — Ezekiel Elliott (@EzekielElliott) December 10, 2017

Rod Smith . . . #45 . . . Boobie Miles ? https://t.co/zSPA5aRQQj — Ezekiel Elliott (@EzekielElliott) December 10, 2017

Smith's response, per SportsDay Cowboys insider Kate Hairopoulos: "Can't wait til you get back, brother. Just waiting on you. I know you ready, let's do it.

Rod Smith's message to Zeke: Can’t wait til you get back, brother. Just waiting on you. I know you ready, let’s do it. https://t.co/UoEokiqW4y — Kate Hairopoulos (@khairopoulos) December 10, 2017

5) Also like Zeke: He ran into trouble in Columbus

Smith played four full seasons at running back, totaling 549 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground plus another 94 yards and two scores in the passing game. But he also ran into trouble as a Buckeye. Per an Oct. 2014 article in The Columbus Dispatch, Smith was kicked off the team for failing a drug test. He'd already missed much of spring practice for academic issues but, the article said, he "worked his way back into good graces this summer. Coaches had praised his maturation and described him as a leader among the running backs."

When Elliott began dominating the offense at Ohio State, Smith began making more of his name on special teams -- something he'd continue to do in the NFL.

6) He's versatile

"Rod's getting experience," offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said the Monday after Smith's first career TD. "He hasn't played a lot. He's really coming along as a running back in his pro career at times and he was pretty raw coming out of college."

Linehan said Smith has become effective not just in the run game but also on third downs and in pass protection. Throw in special teams, and he's contributing to the roster meaningfully.

"He's a good matchup in the pass protection game, has good hands and a nice feel of the passing game," Linehan said. "So his experience that he's getting is on the job. He was doing a little bit of that for us when he was below Zeke but now he's got kind of a full-time role."

7) He's breaking records

Smith set an NFL record in the Cowboys' 30-10 victory over the Giants. He became the first player in league history with a touchdown reception for over 80 yards and a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter of a single game.

8) His touchdown dance is epic

Smith has a pretty unique touchdown dance. After he scored a touchdown in Dallas' 38-14 win over the Redskins, Smith laid down in the end zone and acted like he was taking a nap in the end zone with the ball as a pillow. Jaylon even wanted to get in on the fun.

"After I scored, I just took a nap," Rod said. "I just felt like a lot of people in the league, they sleeping on me. I just went to sleep."

9) The Cowboys love him

The Cowboys had options at running back after Ezekiel Elliott's six-game suspension began. Many thought the team would split the reps at running back between Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden. The Cowboys ended up going with Smith over McFadden and never looked back after he scored his first career touchdown against the Chargers on Thanksgiving. McFadden was released a few days later.

"Rod is versatile," Stephen Jones said during his regular radio interview with 105.3 The Fan's G-BAG Nation. "He obviously brings some explosiveness back there. He also catches the ball well out of the backfield, has some speed, and then of course he has the dimension the other two don't have, which is he's a really good special-teams player playing his role.

10) Fullback or running back?

Smith wasn't always a running back for the Cowboys. The team tried to move him to fullback early in his career. Dallas even cut Smith midway through the 2016 season.