Both coordinators are now in place for Greg Schiano‘s second first Rutgers football coaching staff.
Earlier this month, Schiano plucked Sean Gleason from Oklahoma State to serve as offensive coordinator. Tuesday, RU announced that Robb Smith has been hired as defensive coordinator.
Smith and Schiano are very familiar as the former served on the latter’s first RU staff from 2009-12. The first three seasons, he was the Scarlet Knights’ special teams coordinator. In 2012, he shifted to defensive coordinator.
His positional responsibilities at RU were outside linebackers, cornerbacks, linebackers an the secondary.
Smith also worked on Schiano’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff as linebackers coach in 2012.
“Robb is one of the best defensive coaches I’ve had the pleasure of working with,” said the Rutgers football head coach in a statement. “We are fortunate to have him joining our staff. He works tirelessly to develop players and help them reach their full potential. We are excited to have him and his family back home.”
After the one-year stint in Tampa, Smith was the coordinator at Arkansas (2014-16) and Minnesota (2017-18).
“I am excited to be back at Rutgers,” said Smith. “We had great success our first time around together and I look forward to working with coach Schiano again to accomplish our unfinished business. My family and I are glad to be back in New Jersey.”
With this hiring, Schiano has now filled eight positions on his 10-man Rutgers staff. The others are:
- Sean Gleeson — offensive coordinator (HERE)
- Nunzio Campanile — offensive assistant
- Augie Hoffman, offensive assistant (HERE)
- Tiquan Underwood — wide receivers (HERE)
- Andrew Aurich — offensive line (HERE)
- Robb Smith, defensive coordinator
- Jim Panagos — defensive line (HERE)
- Fran Brown — co-defensive coordinator/secondary (HERE)
