Rick Smith Named To ECU Football Staff
February 08, 2005 | Football
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- Rick Smith has been named defensive backs coach at East Carolina University according to an announcement from head football coach Skip Holtz Tuesday.
Smith's hiring will officially complete the Pirates' initial staff for the newly-appointed Holtz, who was named to the top football position at ECU Dec. 3, 2004.
In all, Smith has six years of experience as a defensive coordinator at the NCAA Division I-A level and 24 years as a collegiate coach, all coming on the defensive side of the ball. In the process, he played integral roles in five bowl game appearances.
Recently, Smith served a one-year stint as a defensive backs coach for Berlin in NFL Europe, where he helped lead the Thunder to a 9-1 record and a 30-24 World Bowl victory over the Frankfurt Galaxy in June, 2004. Smith also played a key role in Berlin's league-high 15 interceptions, three of which came during the its championship game win.
Prior to his position in professional football, Smith spent two seasons as co-defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech in 2002 and 2003 after handling recruiting coordinator, assistant head coach and secondary duties at Southeastern Conference member Kentucky during the previous two seasons.
While Cincinnati's defensive coordinator, Smith's unit stood fourth nationally in turnovers gained (34) in 2000 to help the Bearcats to a 7-5 record and an appearance in the Motor City Bowl. Before his two-year tenure at UC, he headed the Tulane defense where he played a pivotal role in the Green Wave's No. 7 national rank and undefeated (12-0) campaign in 1998 which was capped by a win over BYU in the Liberty Bowl. In 1997, he helped Tulane to a 7-4 mark while topping the nation in interceptions with 26.
Smith enjoyed an earlier seven-year tenure at Kentucky, serving as the Wildcats' secondary coach before being promoted to the coordinator position in 1996. He was part of a UK program which earned a Peach Bowl matchup against Clemson in 1993.
From 1987 to 1989, he worked under legendary College Football Hall of Fame inductee Grant Teaff at Baylor. His appointment as the Bears' secondary coach followed a one-year stay on Ray Perkins' staff at Alabama where he helped guide the Crimson Tide to a 28-6 win over Washington in the 1986 Sun Bowl while working in a similar capacity.
While serving as a linebackers (1982), secondary and punters coach (1983-85) during his second stint at Georgia Tech, Smith helped the Yellow Jackets to an All-American Bowl win over Michigan State in 1985. He also spent time on the East Tennessee State staff after beginning his collegiate coaching career at Georgia Tech in 1977 as its head freshmen coach.
Smith also directed the rebuilding efforts at two high school programs as head coach, taking the Marianna (Fla.) fortunes from a 1-9 campaign in 1979 to a 7-3 mark in 1981 before leading Wakulla (Fla.) to an 8-2 record in 1975.
"Simply, his credentials and reputation among the coaching industry speak for itself," said Holtz. "His experiences at the top level of college football are unmatched, as is his background as a coordinator and in Conference USA."
Smith, who earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Florida State in 1971, is married to the former Barbara Reddick and they are the parents of three children ? Beth (30), Steve (28) and Billy (24).
Smith joins defensive line/assistant head coach Donnie Thompson, offensive coordinator/line coach Steve Shankweiler, quarterbacks coach Phil Petty, running backs coach Junior Smith, defensive coordinator Greg Hudson, linebackers coach Rock Roggeman, wide receivers coach Donnie Kirkpatrick, tight ends/special teams coach Greg McMahon, and director of football operations Clifford Snow on the Pirates' staff.
