Rod Smith (American football coach)

Rod Smith is an American football coach and former player who is currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign football team.

Rod Smith
Current position
TitleOffensive coordinator
Quarterbacks coach
TeamIllinois
ConferenceBig Ten
Annual salary$750,000[1]
Playing career
1993–1996Glenville State
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1997Franklin HS (WV) (OC)
1998–1999Urbana (OC)
2000West Virginia Tech (OC)
2001Clemson (GA)
2001West Virginia (GA)
2001–2004South Florida (PGC/QB)
2005–2006South Florida (OC/QB)
2007West Virginia (QB)
2008–2010Michigan (QB)
2011Indiana (co-OC/QB)
2012–2017Arizona (co-OC/QB)
2018–presentIllinois (OC/QB)

Playing career

Smith was a quarterback at Glenville State from 1993 to 1996, where he played for head coach Rich Rodriguez.[2]

Coaching career

After graduating from Glenville State in 1997, Smith was hired to be the offensive coordinator on his father's coaching staff at Franklin High School in West Virginia.[3] He spent time as the offensive coordinator at both Urbana University in Ohio and West Virginia Tech before reuniting with Rodriguez at both Clemson and West Virginia as a graduate assistant. He was hired by Jim Leavitt to be the passing game coordinator & quarterbacks coach at South Florida and was promoted to offensive coordinator for the 2005 season. Smith resigned from South Florida after the 2006 season to reunite with Rich Rodriguez's coaching staff at West Virginia as the team's quarterbacks coach.[4][5]

Michigan

Smith was named the quarterbacks coach at Michigan in 2008 after Rich Rodriguez was named the head coach.[6]

Indiana

After Rodriguez was fired from Michigan in 2010, Smith spent the 2011 season on Kevin Wilson's staff at Indiana as a co-offensive coordinator and the quarterbacks coach.[7]

Arizona

After Rodriguez was hired to be the head coach Arizona in 2012, Smith joined Rodriguez's staff as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.[8]

Illinois

After Rodriguez was fired from Arizona in 2018, Smith departed the Arizona coaching staff to join Lovie Smith's coaching staff at Illinois.[9]

Personal life

Smith and his wife Charlene have two children, Alex and Sasha.[10][11] Alex is currently a defensive back at West Liberty University's football team.[12]

References
  1. Schutte, Dustin. "Illinois OC Rod Smith in line for $200K pay increase". Saturday Tradition. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  2. "Rod Smith Bio". Fansided. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  3. Ryan, Shannon. "How Rod Smith's up-tempo system could jolt the Illinois offense — and fans — back to life". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  4. "Leavitt names Greg Gregory to replace Rod Smith as offensive coordinator". USF Athletics. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  5. Hertzel, Bob. "Rod Smith returns to his roots". Times West Virginian. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  6. "Michigan Football: Coach's Corner — Rod Smith — (QB) Coach at Michigan". Fansided. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  7. Rothstein, Michael. "Smith reflects on his time in Ann Arbor, Denard Robinson and his role at Indiana". The Ann Arbor News. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  8. Dopirak, Dustin. "IU co-offensive coordinator Rod Smith leaves for Arizona". Hoosier Sports Report. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  9. Kelapire, Ryan. "Rod Smith named Illinois offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach". Arizona Desert Swarm. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  10. Asmussen, Bob. "Three years in, Rod Smith happy with state of Illini, life in C-U". The News-Gazette. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  11. Asmussen, Bob. "Rod Smith's long-awaited homecoming". The News-Gazette. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  12. "Alex Withers - Football - West Liberty University Athletics". West Liberty University Athletics. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
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