Penn State analyst, Rod Smith, lands offensive coordinator gig
Rod Smith, a Penn State football offensive analyst and analytics coordinator for the program, has been named the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Jacksonville State. The move reunites Smith with head coach Rich Rodriguez, who he played for at Glenville State and for whom he has worked at varying stops in his coaching career.
Smith joined the Penn State staff of James Franklin in March in an analytics role and as the program’s analytics coordinator. He made the move to join the Nittany Lions from his most recent position as the offensive coordinator for Illinois.
“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!”
Rod Smith’s coaching resume
Smith brought a wealth of experience to Penn State’s coaching staff.
Along with his three seasons spent on Lovie Smith’s staff at Illinois from 2018 until the end of the 2020 season, Smith also spent time with Rodriguez at West Virginia (2007) and Michigan (2008-2010), then went to Indiana (2011) for a season, and reconnected with Rodriguez at Arizona (2012-2017).
Smith was included in a wave of offseason hires made by Franklin to help bolster Penn State’s staff. Along with his addition, the Nittany Lions also brought in Dan Connor, Rick Lester, Gabe Infante, Frank Leonard, Rashad Elby, Rashad Rich, and Charles Walker through the offseason to help fill analyst and recruiting roles.
“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.”
