Report: Robb Smith to return as Rutgers co-defensive coordinator

Robb Smith is set to return to Rutgers as the co-defensive coordinator under Greg Schiano, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

It’ll be his third stint with the Scarlet Knights (2009-12 and 20-21), all times under Schiano, plus Kyle Flood in 2012 before following Schiano to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013.

Smith spent the last two seasons as an analyst on the Penn State staff under James Franklin.

Smith also had DC roles with Arkansas (2014-16), Minnesota (2017-18) and Duke (2022).

Rutgers’ defense finished No. 71 nationally in scoring and No. 95 in total defense in 2024, despite returning a lot of starters from the ‘23 squad.

Smith will be the defensive play caller and share DC duties with Zach Sparber, who will also coach linebackers.

Smith will replace the outgoing Joe Harasymiak, who left to take the head coaching job at UMass.

That came after UMass moved on from former head coach Don Brown on November 18, 2024. He was in his second stint as a head coach at UMass, previously becoming a legend for leading the Minutemen to an FCS national championship appearance as the head coach. However, at 6-28 in his second stint, Brown wasn’t able to get things rolling again.

Robb Smith returns to Rutgers as co-defensive coordinator

Harasymiak has ties to the Northeast and head coaching experience, having led the Maine Black Bears from 2016 through 2018. While there, he had a 20-15 record, including a 10-4 record in his final season there. That year, he led Maine to the FCS playoffs and made the semifinals.

Schiano knew it would take time to figure out the defensive coordinator plan, following the Rate Bowl loss to Kansas State. But now, he’s settled on Sparber and Smith.

“And generally, you feel it,” Schiano said, via NJ Advance Media. “When we hired Joe, I knew it right away. … I definitely feel better when I know it’s the guy and I can lock in on him.”

Smith and Sparber weren’t the only coaches to change locations with Rutgers ties. Former head coach Chris Ash recently accepted the defensive coordinator job at Notre Dame.

Following a disastrous tenure as Scarlet Knights’ head coach, Ash held multiple jobs in the NFL and college football. After Ash, Schiano returned as head coach prior to the 2020 season.