Penn State Football has added a new analyst to the staff today in former Duke Football Defensive Coordinator Robb Smith recently according to sources.
Smith is a Leechburg, Pennsylvania native, who comes to State College after one season at Duke where he was Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers coach. Prior to that he spent time at in just about every power-five conference, working at Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Rutgers and Texas A&M since he started coaching back in 1999. He even spent one year in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Here’s his full bio via GODUKE.COM
Robb Smith joined the Blue Devil gridiron program in December 2021, and serves as the defensive coordinator. Smith also coaches Duke's linebackers.
Smith and Elko served on the defensive staff together for the 2019 season at Texas A&M University, where Smith was a defensive analyst for the Aggies during their 8-5 season, including a victory over No. 25 Oklahoma State in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl.
He comes to Durham after a two-year stint as the defensive coordinator at Rutgers University under head coach Greg Schiano. Smith previously spent four seasons on the Scarlet Knights' staff with Schiano from 2009-12 and spent one season on his staff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2013).
Under Smith's guidance in 2021, Rutgers held opponents to 52-for-162 on third down (32.1 percent), the 10th-best percentage nationally. That mark included nine games allowing five or less conversions with a season-best 1-for-14 at Indiana. The Scarlett Knights also finished the season holding their opponent to under 300 yards of total offense on six different occasions and allowed just 31 points in the fourth quarter all year.
In 2020, Smith led a Rutgers defense that gained 19 turnovers, the most in a season since 2012 when he was previously the defensive coordinator. That included at least one takeaway in eight games, multiple in four games and at least four in two games. The Scarlett Knights also led the Big Ten that season and ranked No. 11 nationally with 7.8 tackles-for-loss per game and posted three contests in double figures with a season-high 13 coming in a win at Maryland. Rutgers posted 21 sacks as well, which were the most in a Big Ten season and an increase of eight from the previous year
Smith mentored nine players to 12 All-Big Ten honors during his last two seasons, including two-time recipients in linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi, defensive back Christian Izien and defensive lineman Julius Turner.
Prior to his 2019 season as a defensive analyst with Texas A&M, Smith served as the defensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The Golden Gophers allowed a total of 274 points in 2017, the fewest permitted by the team since 2004. Smith also worked with the linebackers and coached Thomas Barber to 2017 All-Big Ten honors after he recorded 115 tackles.
Before joining Minnesota's staff, he spent three seasons (2014-16) at the University of Arkansas as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach. Smith's 2016 defense was stout in the second half of games as the Razorbacks allowed only 51 points in the third quarter and 73 in the fourth quarter. His defense also yielded only 12 passing touchdowns in 13 games, while recording 10 interceptions, 14 forced fumbles and 11 fumble recoveries.
In 2015, Smith's unit excelled against the run, as Arkansas held 12-of-13 opponents below their season rushing average. The Razorbacks allowed only 116.46 yards per game on the ground, which ranked second in the SEC and 12th in the nation.
A year earlier, his defensive unit ranked No. 10 in both scoring defense (19.2 points per game) and total defense (323.4 yards per game). It was the first time since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992 that the Razorbacks had finished in the top 10 in either statistical category. In addition, Arkansas became the first unranked team in college football history to post back-to-back shutouts of ranked opponents when the Razorbacks blanked No. 20 LSU and No. 8 Ole Miss in November of 2014.
Smith spent the 2013 season as the linebackers coach for Schiano in Tampa Bay. He coached All-Pro Lavonte David to become the first linebacker and third player since the sack became an official statistic in 1982 to register at least 100 tackles with at least six sacks and five or more interceptions in a season.
During his first stint in Piscataway, N.J., Smith served in various roles on the Rutgers staff, including defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 2012, special teams coordinator and linebackers coach in 2011, special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach in 2010 and special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach in 2009.
The 2012 season saw Rutgers claim its first conference title since 1961 and the fifth in school history. The Scarlet Knights finished the year ranked fourth in the nation in points allowed per game (14.2), sixth in rushing yards allowed per game (95.2), 10th in total defense (311.6 yards per game) and tied for third in rushing touchdowns allowed (6). Rutgers allowed just 91 points against seven Big East opponents, ranking as the eighth-lowest total in conference history. The defense held opponents to 95.2 rushing yards per game, marking only the third time in school history the Scarlet Knights kept the opponent average below 100 yards.
Under Smith's mentorship, Rutgers became one of the best special teams units in college football. The Scarlet Knights ranked in the top 10 in blocked punts each of his three years coaching the unit. Rutgers led the country in 2010 with nine blocked punts, tied for second in 2011 with nine and ranked eighth in 2009 with five. While Smith was at Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights led the nation with 31 blocked kicks. They were also one of the best in the nation in punt and kick returns for touchdowns, tying for fifth with five punt return touchdowns and tying for ninth with four kickoff return touchdowns. Their nine combined special teams touchdowns tied for the fifth-highest total in the NCAA during that time.
Prior to his time at Rutgers, Smith spent seven seasons at the University of Maine, serving his final three years as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2006-08). He was also on staff as the special teams and linebackers coach (2005) as well as the defensive backs coach (2002-04). Under Smith, Maine boasted one of the top defenses in the FCS, highlighted by the 2006 team that ranked first in rush defense, second in total defense, third in sacks and fourth in scoring defense.
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Iowa from 1999-2001 and earned his master's degree in communications studies from there in 2002.
Smith was three-year letterwinner at strong safety for Allegheny College from 1995-97, where he helped the Gators to a 28-4 mark, including the 1996 outright North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) title and a share of the 1997 NCAC title.
Smith is married to the former Amy Ruden of Le Mars, Iowa, and they are the parents of two sons, Charlie and Jack.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE...
1999-2001: Iowa (GA/QC)
2002-04: Maine (DBs)
2005: Maine (STC/LBs)
2006-08: Maine (AHC/DC)
2009: Rutgers (STC/OLBs)
2010: Rutgers (STC/CBs)
2011: Rutgers (STC/LBs)
2012: Rutgers (DC/DBs)
2013: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LBs)
2014-16: Arkansas (DC/DBs)
2017-18: Minnesota (DC/LBs)
2019: Texas A&M (Analyst)
2020-21: Rutgers (DC)
2022: Duke (DC/LBs)
Stay tuned right here for more on Penn State Football's newest analyst and other Nittany Lions athletics news right here on Happy Valley Insider!
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