After Steve Brown’s dismissal from the Kentucky Staff, only Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks coach Randy Sanders and Recruiting Coordinator/Linebackers coach Chuck Smith remain as holdovers from the staff of Rich Brooks. While there is plenty to say about Sanders, that’s a discussion for a different day. Today’s post is about Chuck Smith.
Background:
Smith joined the Kentucky staff after a very long, very successful run as the Head Football Coach at Boyle County High School in Danville, KY. His teams at Boyle County compiled at 142-33 record over his thirteen seasons in Danville and he was able to lead his team to a remarkable 47 game winning streak. The Rebels were able to amass five consecutive state championships under Smith between 1999 and 2003. As many coaches who make the jump from high school to the college ranks, his addition to Rich Brooks’ staff was little more than a blip on the radar at the time Smith signed up to coach at his alma mater.
The Beginning:
When Smith arrived he was given the task of coaching the linebackers for the Wildcats, and it looked to be a tall order. The team had little proven talent at the linebacker position and needed fine tuning for the players on the roster to fit defensive coordinator Mike Archer’s complex system. Smith was able to mold returning sophomore Wesley Woodyard from a 3-star rated defensive back recruit into an undersized linebacker that completed the season as an all-SEC performer. Smith was also able to take a 2-star rated defensive end prospect in Braxton Kelley and coach him into an immediate contributor at linebacker, finishing the season with 44 tackles. It was immediately apparent that Smith was going to be an asset to the Kentucky staff.
The Problem:
Many fans feel like Chuck Smith needs to be replaced. His current contract is up this year and he has not been offered an extension (at this time) by the current staff and administration. A perceived lack of recruiting prowess has left many feeling that the staff could add a better linebackers coach to the roster, or move another coach to linebackers and add a new coach at a different position.
The Truth:
Chuck Smith has been a very good recruiter for the Cats. Under his guidance, Kentucky has added Mike Hartline, Josh Minton (4-Star defensive end), Chandler Burden, Sam Simpson (Top-10 rated center by some websites), Winston Guy, Morgan Newton (who was a Parade All-American), Alex Smith (4-Star tight end), Darrian Miller and Zach West (Both rated as 4-Star players by one publication or another), and current commitments Josh Harris, Jonathan Reed, Langston Newton, and Jon Toth. Oh yeah, and he also was the lead recruiter for Patrick Towles, who many feel like is the future star quarterback for Kentucky and is rated as a top-20 quarterback nationally by some sites. Some of the players on that list didn’t work out (i.e. Minton due to injury, Smith due to off-field issues, Morgan Newton due to…okay, I really don’t know why he hasn’t been better?) , but none of that has had anything to do with Smith. As Kentucky’s point man in Indiana, much of Ohio, and the state of Kentucky (not-including Louisville), he has helped bring in a ton of talent to the program.
The REAL Issue:
Kentucky seldom produces a talent like Lamar Dawson brought to the table. He was one of the most accomplished linebackers in the country and had the athletic ability to step in and play from day-one at any college he went to. He was highly sought after by schools like USC, Florida, Tennessee, and others. Dawson played at Smith’s old high school (where he is still a legend) and at the position Smith coached at UK. It was a no-brainer to assign Dawson’s recruitment to coach Smith. After holding out until a signing day decision, Dawson spurned Kentucky and everyone else recruiting him for the beaches and bikinis at USC. That’s right. Dawson chose the sunny weather, a significantly more prestigious academic university, Hollywood, and a school that routinely produces first-round NFL draft picks over Kentucky. Despite never having coached Dawson personally and Dawson himself stating that the only reason he even considered Kentucky was due to Chuck Smith, losing out on the Army All-American did not sit well with most fans and Smith was largely held responsible for Kentucky missing Dawson.
The Facts:
On the field, Smith has continually put forth an excellent product despite being given little to work with. Consider the succession of linebackers that have come through UK since Smith’s arrival. Woodyard, Kelley, Micah Johnson, Johnny Williams, and Sam Maxwell have all at least spent time on NFL rosters in their careers. Woodyard was a 3-Star rated defensive back prospect, Kelley was a 2-Star rated defensive end prospect, Williams was a 2-Star linebacker prospect, Maxwell was a 2-Star rated linebacker prospect, and Micah Johnson (while highly sought) was a much better physical fit at defensive end and rated as a 4-Star player behind the idea that he would play on the defensive line. Current linebackers Danny Trevathan, Winston Guy, Ridge Wilson, and Ronnie Sneed weren’t much different. Trevathan and Sneed were both given 2-Star ratings as prep players, Wilson was only seen as a 3-Star rated player, and Guy was given a 3-Star rating as a defensive back. Think about that for a minute. In April, Guy and Trevathan will almost assuredly be on some NFL roster, and Smith will have coached seven guys that have played professional football at some level in only six years with the program. To summarize it for you, three of those six were 2-Star rated linebacker recruits, one was a 2-Star defensive end recruit, and two were 3-Star defensive backs in high school. The production and development of linebackers at Kentucky, under Smith’s guidance has been truly remarkable.
Conclusion:
Basically, Kentucky fans need to come to a realization. We have a coach that continues to put a great product on the field, does a very good job recruiting, and is an outstanding human being. He is an alumnus of the University and has a unique understanding of the things his players will go through in Lexington. I’m not exactly sure what the problem is anymore. He has missed on one big-time recruit and we’re ready to run him out of town. I think if most of the UK fans wanting Smith replaced had a son with Dawson’s talents and abilities, they would think long and hard about sending him to USC too. In the end, it’s preposterous to get rid of a coach due to a single prospective player. If Chuck Smith does leave Kentucky (be it on his own choosing or him being dismissed), The football program will certainly be no better for it.