Terry Smith (American football)

Terry M. Smith
Sport(s) Football
Current position
Title Cornerbacks coach
Team Penn State
Conference Big Ten
Biographical details
Born (1969-07-29) July 29, 1969
Alma mater Penn State
Playing career
1987-1991 Penn State (College)
1992 Washington (NFL)
1993 Toronto (CFL)
1994-1995 Shreveport (CFL)
1996 Albany (Arena)
Position(s) Wide Receiver
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1996 Hempfield HS (Assistant)
1997-2000 Duquesne (passing coordinator)
2001 Gateway HS (OC)
2002-2012 Gateway HS
2013 Temple (WR)
2014-present Penn State (CB)

Terry M. Smith (born July 29,1969) is an American college football coach and former player. He played college football at Penn State and is currently the assistant head coach, defensive recruiting coordinator and Cornerbacks coach for his college alma mater.

Early life

Originally from Aliquippa, Pa,[1] Smith and his family moved to Monroeville, Pa where he was a star quarterback for the Gateway Gators. Smith led the Gators to back-to-back WPIAL football titles in 1985 and 1986.[2] Considered one of the greatest WPIAL championships ever played,[3] the 1986 game featured an undefeated Gateway team and a North Hills team who was ranked No. 1 in the country by USA Today. Smith scored Gateways only touchdown as they defeated North Hills 7-6 in front of more than 20,000 fans at Three Rivers Stadium.[4]

College playing career

Nicknamed Superfly, Smith, was a four year letter winner from 1988-91 with the Nittany Lions who still ranks among the schools’ best with 108 career receptions and 15 receiving touchdowns.[5][6] During the 1991 season, posting a 40-yard dash time of 4.4 seconds, Smith came up big against USC, grabbing 10 receptions to tie a Penn State single-game mark and gaining 165 yards to set a new school record.[6] His Senior season, Smith broke school records with 55 catches for 846 yards and eight scores, helping Penn State to an 11-2 record and a Fiesta Bowl victory over Tennessee.[7] After breaking the single season receptions record in a game against Rutgers, Joe Paterno said about Smith, "I don't know whether there's a better wideout in the country as far as what he does. He catches the ball, he blocks, he runs with the ball, he's in the football game -- he's just a great player."[8]

Professional playing career

Drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 11th round of the 1992 NFL draft , Smith spent the following three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts and the Shreveport Pirates of the Canadian Football League. Smith also spent one season with the Albany Firebirds of the Arena league in 1996.[9][10]

Coaching career

In 1996, Smith began his coaching career as an assistant at Hempfield High School. From there Smith spent the next four seasons as the passing coordinator for the Duquesne Dukes. In 2001, Smith returned to his high school alma mater the Gateway Gators where he served as the offensive coordinator.[9] The following season Smith was named as the Gators Head Coach and over the next eleven seasons Smith led Gateway to a 101-30 mark and four WPIAL runner-up finishes.[5]. In that time Smith sent 23 players to NCAA FBS (I-A) colleges and 17 more to FCS(I-AA) colleges,[11] and coached in three U.S. Army All-America and Semper Fidelis All-America games. He has mentored six NFL players, including former Nittany Lions Trevor Williams, Jordan Lucas, Justin King and Lydell Sargeant. Smith who also served as the athletic director departed Gateway following the 2012 football season when his athletic director position was reduced to part-time, his salary was cut in half and the district instituted a new rule that no administrator could also coach. Following a January recruiting visit in 2013, the Temple Owls coach and fellow Penn State alum Matt Rhule offered Smith a coaching position as his wide receivers coach.[1] Smith accepted and helped the Owls’ passing game reach new heights during the 2013 season. In 2014 James Franklin hired smith as the Penn State Nittany Lions’ defensive recruiting coordinator and cornerbacks coach, positions he currently maintains.[12] Smith is also the assistant head coach for the Nittany Lions, a title received following the 2015 season.[13]

Personal

Smith received a Bachelors in business management, from the Pennsylvania State University. He and his wife, Alison, have a son, former PSU standout Justin King , and daughter, Haley.[12] Smith, is a class of 2018 WPIAL Hall of Fame inductee.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 Harris, John."Ex-Gateway coach Smith mining for talent in Western Pa.", Trib Live, September 24,2013. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  2. ↑ Harlan, Chris."Under Terry Smith, Gateway a WPIAL power again", Trib Live, August 29,2010. retrieved January 27, 2018.
  3. ↑ "WPIAL's Top 10 football champions of all time", Trib Live, November 20, 2014. retrieved January 27, 2018.
  4. ↑ White, Mike."Gateway, North Hills revisit 1986 classic in playoffs", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 6, 2003. retrieved January 27, 2018.
  5. 1 2 Moody, Walt."Penn State football: New assistant coach Terry Smith glad to be back home", Centre Daily Times, January 26,2014. Retrieved January 24,2018.
  6. 1 2 Martin, Chris."Airing it out", The Daily Collegian, September 21, 1991. Retrieved January 27,2018.
  7. ↑ "Former Lions receiver to coach all-star game", The Daily Collegian, January 14,2005. Retrieved January 27,2018
  8. ↑ Stevenson, David."Smith sets single-season receiving record in win", The Daily Collegian, October 21,1991. Retrieved January 27,2018
  9. 1 2 Wogenrichhttp, Mark."Smith is a newcomer to Franklin's coaching staff, but not to Penn State", The Morning Call, January 25, 2014. retrieved January 28, 2018.
  10. ↑ Faggen, Pete."Four Lions picked in 8th, Smith taken in 11th",The Daily Collegian, April 28,1992. Retrieved January 28,2018.
  11. ↑ Frazier, Jim."Coach Terry Smith Leaves Gateway Nest", New Pittsburgh Courier, Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  12. 1 2 Nelson, Kristen."Meet the Penn State staff: Cornerbacks coach Terry Smith", Altoona Mirror, August 15, 2014. retrieved January 30,2018.
  13. ↑ Penn State Profile, gopsusports.com, retrieved January 30,2018.
  14. ↑ Harlan, Chris."Gateway trio among WPIAL Hall of Fame class", Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, April 12, 2018, retrieved April 15, 2018.
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