Dirk Koetter spent three years as the Falcons offensive coordinator under head coach Mike Smith before moving to the Buccaneers following Smith’s departure after the 2014 season.
Koetter has been bumped up to head coach with the Bucs and now Smith will be working for him. The Buccaneers announced Friday that Smith will be the team’s defensive coordinator.
Smith was out of the NFL during the 2015 season, but surfaced to interview for the Giants head coaching job that ultimately went to Ben McAdoo. With Jim Caldwell staying put in Detroit and the Titans reportedly holding onto interim coach Mike Mularkey, there aren’t any opportunities for top jobs this year so Smith will try to help his chances of getting one in the future by improving the defense in Tampa.
The Bucs finished 10th in the league in yards allowed during the regular season, but were 26th in points allowed. Smith used a 4-3 defense in Atlanta and when he was a defensive coordinator in Jacksonville, which is the same base formation the Buccaneers have been using so there probably won’t be a change on that front.
