Marshall University Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks
- Email:
- Phone:
- ----
Rod Smith was hired in January 2025 by head coach Tony Gibson as the Thundering Herd's Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach.
Smith joins Marshall’s staff after serving in the same capacity at Jacksonville State for the last three seasons under head coach Rich Rodriguez. He also served as interim head coach for the 2024 Cure Bowl after Rodriguez took the head coaching position at West Virginia.
In 2024, Jacksonville State ranked No. 12 nationally in scoring offense, averaging 36.0 points per game. That offense was powered by a rushing attack that produced an FBS-best 51 touchdowns while rolling up 251.2 yards per game on the ground, which was No. 3 in FBS. In all, Jacksonville State racked up 441.6 yards per game to rank in the top-20 in FBS in total offense under Smith’s guidance.
In 2023, Jacksonville State ranked as the nation’s fastest offense, snapping the ball every 20.6 seconds. The Gamecocks boasted of the No. 3 rushing offense in FBS, rushing for 236.7 yards per game and averaged 30.2 points per game during a 9-4 campaign capped by the program’s first bowl win.
Smith has more than 25 years of collegiate coaching experience with 20 years at the FBS level with many years having been under Rodriguez, whom he played for as an All-American at Glenville State from 1993-96.
During Smith’s coaching career, he helped develop two of the premier quarterbacks in college football: Michigan’s Denard Robinson, who won the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award in 2010, and West Virginia’s Pat White, who won Big East Offensive Player of the Year in 2007.
Smith is a native of Franklin, W.Va. and also has a Master’s Degree from Urbana University (2000).
The Rod Smith Timeline
2022-24 Jacksonville State (Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks, also, interim HC)
2021 Virginia (Offensive Analyst)
2018-20 Illinois (OC & QBs, also served as interim HC)
2012-17 Arizona (co-OC & QBs)
2011 Indiana (co-OC & QBs)
2008-10 Michigan (QBs)
2007 West Virginia (Quarterbacks)
2001-06 South Florida (05-06, OC/QBs; 01-04, Pass Game Coordinator/QBs)
2001 Clemson (Graduate Assistant)
2001 West Virginia (Graduate Assistant)
2000 W.Va. Tech (OC)
1998-99 Urbana (OC)
