cornerbacks
assistant coaches
brian smith
brian smith is ungoogleable

Brian Smith to Coach Defensive Backs Comment Count

Seth

It appears Michigan has tapped Philadelphia Eagles asst LBs coach Brian Smith to fill the vacant secondary coach spot opposite Mike Zordich.

Sam seemed pretty certain last night:

And various media have picked it up this evening.

Quick bio: Don Brown brought in a familiar face. Smith played for Brown as a defensive back at UMass then coached linebackers under him before jumping to the NFL with Eric Mangini's Jets. Smith shifted around positions there under Rex Ryan (offensive quality coach, defensive quality coach, asst. DBs coach). Chip Kelly--who has a history of looking to the Northeast for his coachin talent--made Smith the Eagles assistant (to the) linebackers coach last year. He's only 36, which is very young I say. Quite young. Spring of his youth.

Quick react: Unlike the last time a linebacker coach moved to the secondary, at least Smith played defensive back (cornerback and safety) and has some history of coaching the position. This may be a return to his natural habitat. It does appear to be a Don Brown hire all the way--his former player (when Don was the DC at UMass), and a guy Brown as head coach elevated to coaching before losing him to the NFL.

Comments

gjking

February 25th, 2016 at 6:17 PM ^

Brian Smith is one of the most generic names in the US. I went to college with a guy with this name, he used to get stopped all of the time at airport security because it was also a name on the post 911 terrorist watch list. 

Don Brown

Brian Smith

Next we next a John Baker.

 

 

Joined: 10/16/2011

MGoPoints: 601

Rabbit21

February 25th, 2016 at 6:22 PM ^

Played DB in college and coached it in the NFL with a history with Don Brown.  Would have liked a bit more college experience, but this looks like a good hire.  Welcome aboard!

Joined: 11/12/2009

MGoPoints: 30303

getsome

February 26th, 2016 at 5:09 AM ^

welcome to the cage brian.

i liked both viney and smith as options and im sure they made the best move.  im on board with jimbos decisions until evidence mounts to the contrary (if enough ever does - the dude really does have a darn good track record).

i just wanted someone on the younger side with a history of playing and coaching that particular position at high levels.  sharp, personable, relentless - all key traits and they likely checked all those boxes.  bonus points for a 30 something, ascending black coach with shared history with the new DC.

ill have to ask my friends brother about smith since he also played for brown at umass during several those years

Joined: 09/07/2013

MGoPoints: 7386

Jack Be Nimble

February 25th, 2016 at 7:43 PM ^

From his Eagles bio:

During his four-year playing career with the Minutemen, Smith totaled 306 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 23 passes defensed and eight interceptions, earning All-Atlantic 10, All-New England and All-ECAC honors as a senior in 2000. He was also a member of the school’s 1998 national championship team.
A native of Wilmington, DE, Smith (born 7/15/79) graduated cum laude from UMass in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He was a three-time Academic All-Atlantic 10 and Academic All-District selection, while also being named to the Division I-AA Athletic Directors Academic All-Star team twice.

Joined: 10/03/2014

MGoPoints: 1806

SD Larry

February 25th, 2016 at 7:45 PM ^

background.  Seems like a great hire and fit for Michigan.  Agree with SD Mick and really like the collegiate and academic background highlighted by Jack Be Nimble.

Joined: 10/05/2014

MGoPoints: 40954

alum96

February 25th, 2016 at 8:19 PM ^

As with player weight gain or loss.... all staff gain or loss is only good for Michigan.  All staff departures this off season benefited Michigan.  All staff arrivals this off season benefited Michigan. 

Therefore I deem this move good.

Harbaugh truly shits gold.

Also he is a dude.

Image result for everything's turning up milhouse

Joined: 04/28/2012

MGoPoints: 82434

PutInPeters18

February 26th, 2016 at 10:13 AM ^

Seems like a quality addition. Not sure what kind of recruiter he is, but adding guys like Biff Poggi, Devin Bush Sr, and that Bam guy from AL will probably be a huge boost for recruiting this year. Really like what Harbaugh has done this offseason.

Joined: 12/27/2014

MGoPoints: 508

Kevin13

February 26th, 2016 at 10:26 AM ^

with this hire and I'm fine with that. He coordinates the defense and is responsible for what happens over there. Like Harbaugh given him some latitude with this.

Joined: 01/26/2016

MGoPoints: 16040

woodson1223

February 26th, 2016 at 6:22 PM ^

I read the book "Collision Low Crossers" by Nicholas Dawidoff. It's an inside look at the 2011 New York Jets. Brian Smith was an assistant defensive backs coach. Here's a quote from the book...

"Then Brian Smith, who'd nearly made the 49ers ten years earlier, stood before the players and described the dark moment at home after San Francisco let him go, when he sat on his couch and realized 'the game I loved all my life was gone for me.' Looking out at the players, B-Smitty, the quietest of the Jets coaches, talked with feeling of how much he envied them. B-Smitty worked long, uncomplaining hours and seemed bashful around his superiors. He was a minister's son, a studious cum laude graduate of the University of Massachusetts. Then I saw him away from the facility, and it turned out he had a switch of his own. He greeted me merrily as Nicky Barnes - a reference to the Harlem drug kingpin who was Mr. Untouchable until, he wasn't." 

In a different section, there's this...

"He threw it so quick, the routes didn't develop," approved Brian Smith. Something had to have worked really well for B-Smitty to say something. 

 

Joined: 12/03/2009

MGoPoints: 3