Penn State adds former Big Ten offensive coordinator to staff in an analyst role
Penn State has added a former Big Ten play caller to its off-field staff.
Former Illinois offensive coordinator Rod Smith shared Friday that he has joined the Nittany Lions as an offensive analyst. He most recently held the same title at Virginia.
“I am extremely thankful to @coachjfranklin and the @PennStateFball program for the opportunity to serve as Offensive Analyst,” Smith wrote on Twitter. “My family and I are excited to start the next chapter!”
The Smith file
How did Smith end up at Penn State?
A 49-year-old Franklin, W. Va., native, Smith played quarterback at Glenville State until 1996. He started coaching at Franklin High School in Virginia in 1997. From there, he would break into the college ranks in 1998 as the offensive coordinator at Urbana for two seasons before spending one in that role at West Virginia Tech.
Smith would go to be a graduate assistant at Clemson and West Virginia. He became a quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator at South Florida in 2001 and then was promoted to be the Bulls’ offensive coordinator in 2005. After a two-year stint there, he’d spend the next 10 years coaching quarterbacks at West Virginia (2007), Michigan (2008-2010), Indiana (2011), and Arizona (2012-2017).
Ahead of the 2018 season, Smith was named the offensive coordinator at Illinois. He was there until 2020 when Lovie Smith and his staff were let go. Smith actually was the interim head coach when the Illini came to Beaver Stadium and lost 56-21. Following that, he spent 2021 as an analyst at Virginia.
Penn State staffing push continues
Penn State has actively added off-field staff during the offseason. Smith is just the latest example of that.
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Franklin has made clear during his tenure that more resources and a bigger support staff system are all ways the Lions can compete in everything they do year-round.
“It’s what we do on the field that’s important, but it’s also all the things that we do off the field that we’re willing to compete in everything year-round,” Franklin said in February. “We have got to be willing to compete year-round, because all the little losses that you have throughout the entire calendar year, those add up. All the wins that you have throughout the calendar year, add up.
“We have to be willing to do those things in all areas year-round for us to have the type of success that we want to have consistently.”
Penn State has also added Dan Connor, Rick Lyster, and Gabe Infante, in analyst roles. Former Boston College and Colorado State assistant Frank Leonard has joined the fold, as well. So, too, have recruiting departments staffers Rashad Elby and Rashad Rich. Charles Walker is back with the program, too, after spending a couple of seasons with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. Other jobs are posted, as well.
Spring practice starts for Penn State on Monday.
