COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Terry M. Smith, a western Pennsylvania native, has dedicated 17 years to the Penn State Football program, four as a standout wide receiver (1987–91) and 13 as a member of the coaching staff.
- Entering the 2026 season as associate head coach and cornerbacks coach, Smith has been instrumental in the program's on‑field excellence and national recruiting success.
- Smith led the Nittany Lions to four-straight victories as interim head coach in 2025, culminating in a 22-10 win over Clemson in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.
- Penn State started the 2025 season 3-6 before finishing 7-6, a feat accomplished by just nine percent of FBS teams since 2015.
- The No. 4-ranked recruiter in the Big Ten in 2023 by 247Sports, Smith helped PSU secure 12-straight top-25 classes prior to the 2026 recruiting cycle, including a top-5 class in 2018, a top-6 class in 2022 and top-15 classes in nine of the last 11 years.
- Smith has played a pivotal role developing 10 Penn State defensive back draft picks since 2016, a total tied for sixth nationally.
- Running back Kaytron Allen, an All-Big Ten first-team selection in 2025, finished as Penn State's all-time leading rusher with 4,180 career rushing yards, while Nicholas Singleton became Penn State's career leader in rushing touchdowns (45), total touchdowns (55) and all-purpose yards (5,586).
- Penn State had 43 Academic All-Big Ten honorees during the 2025 season, a program record.
- With new starting corners in 2024, Penn State ranked fourth in the FBS in interceptions, seventh in total defense (294.8), eighth in scoring defense (16.5), 10th in takeaways (26) and 13th in passes defended (72).
- In their first year with the program in 2024, cornerbacks A.J. Harris (third team) and Jalen Kimber (honorable mention) earned All-Big Ten honors.
- Smith led a cornerback room in 2023 which featured three All-Big Ten honorees in Kalen King (second team), Johnny Dixon (third team) and Daequan Hardy (third team), as Penn State finished second in the country in total defense and seventh in passing defense (172.1).
- Hardy (Bills) and King (Packers) were selected in the NFL Draft, marking the third-straight year PSU has had multiple defensive backs drafted.
- The Nittany Lions finished first nationally in 2022 with 85 pass breakups, and second in defensive pass efficiency and completion percentage.
- Smith tutored a pair of second-team All-Americans in 2022 in Joey Porter Jr. and King, the fourth and fifth All-American corners in program history, who both earned All-Big Ten honors along with Dixon.
- Porter became the highest-drafted Penn State defensive back ever, as he went 32nd overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2023 NFL Draft.
- King led all Power Five players in passes defended (21) in 2022.
- Penn State's defense allowed just 17.3 points per game in 2021 (6th nationally) and just 11 passing touchdowns (4th).
- The cornerback room had a pair of All-Big Ten honorees in Porter (third team) and Tariq Castro-Fields (honorable mention).
- Both of Penn State's starting cornerbacks, Porter (third team) and Castro-Fields (honorable mention), earned All-Big Ten honors in 2020.
- Penn State allowed just 10 passing touchdowns (T-3rd nationally) and broke up 52 passes (T-23rd) in 2019.
- The secondary had 11 of PSU's nation's best 22 forced fumbles while John Reid and Castro-Fields earned honorable mention All-Big Ten.
- In 2018, PSU's defense finished fifth nationally in yards per pass attempt, eighth in passing efficiency and 15th in passing yards allowed.
- Cornerbacks Amani Oruwariye (first team) and Reid (honorable mention) each earned 2018 All-Big Ten honors.
- The Nittany Lions held three opponents to 60 or less yards through the air (Pittsburgh, 55; Wisconsin, 60; Rutgers, 46) in 2018, the first time since 1976 that PSU has held three teams to 60 or less passing yards.
- Both of Smith's starting cornerbacks, Christian Campbell and Grant Haley, earned 2017 All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades.
- In addition, Oruwariye collected second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2017 after grabbing a team-high four picks to go with eight pass breakups.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS A PLAYER
- Smith was a three-year starter at wide receiver at Penn State.
- He still dots the Penn State record books, ranking tied for 12th in career receiving touchdowns (15), 16th in career receiving yardage (1,825) and 18th in career receptions (108).
- He helped Penn State play in three consecutive bowl games, including wins over BYU in the 1989 Holiday Bowl and Tennessee in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl, compiling an 11-2 record and No. 3 final ranking in the polls.
- Smith’s professional career spanned the NFL, Arena Football League and Canadian Football League.
- He was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame in June 2018.
PROMINENT PLAYERS COACHED
- Jalen Kimber (Penn State) - Tennessee Titans
- Daequan Hardy (Penn State) - Buffalo Bills; 2024 sixth-round pick
- Kalen King (Penn State) - Green Bay Packers; 2024 seventh-round pick
- Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State) - Pittsburgh Steelers; 2023 32nd overall pick
- Tariq Castro-Fields (Penn State) - Philadelphia Eagles; 2022 sixth-round pick
- Zech McPhearson (Penn State) - Jacksonville Jaguars; 2021 fourth-round pick
- John Reid (Penn State) - NFL (2020-23); 2020 fourth-round pick
- Amani Oruwariye (Penn State) - Tennessee Titans; 2019 fifth-round pick
- Christian Campbell (Penn State) - NFL (2018-19); 2018 sixth-round pick
- Grant Haley (Penn State) - NFL (2018-22)
- Jordan Lucas (Penn State) - NFL (2016-21); 2016 sixth-round pick
- Trevor Williams (Penn State) - NFL (2016-20)
- Robby Chosen (Temple) - NFL (2016-24)
- Nate Hairston (Temple) - NFL (2017-23); 2017 fifth-round pick
- Justin King (Gateway) - NFL (2008-13); 2008 fourth-round pick
- Mortty Ivy (Gateway) - NFL (2009-12)
- Dayonne Nunley (Gateway) - Three-time All-MAC (2011-13)
- Dorian Bell (Gateway) - 2012 All-American third-team
- Montae Nicholson (Gateway) - NFL (2017-19); 2017 fourth-round pick
THE SMITH FILE
Personal
Year at Penn State: 12th
Hometown: Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Education: Penn State University, 1991 - B.S. Business Management
Family: Wife: Alison; Son: Justin King; Daughter: Haley
Coaching Career
2021-present - Penn State (Associate Head Coach/Defensive Recruiting Coordinator/Cornerbacks)
2016-20 - Penn State (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Recruiting Coordinator/Cornerbacks)
2014-16 - Penn State (Defensive Recruiting Coordinator/Cornerbacks)
2013 - Temple (Wide Receivers)
2003-12 - Gateway (Pa.) High School (Head Coach and Athletic Director)
2002 - Gateway High School (Head Coach)
2001 - Gateway High School (Offensive Coordinator)
1997-2000 - Duquesne (Passing Coordinator)
1996 - Hempfield High School (Assistant Coach)
Playing Experience
- Penn State University (1987-91)
- Washington Redskins (1992)
- CFL Toronto Argonauts (1993)
- CFL Shreveport Pirates (1994-95)
- AFL Albany Firebirds (1996)
Postseason as a Coach
- 2024 Orange Bowl (CFP Semifinal) - Penn State
- 2024 Fiesta Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal) - Penn State
- 2024 CFP First Round - Penn State
- 2023 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl - Penn State
- 2023 Rose Bowl - Penn State
- 2022 Outback Bowl - Penn State
- 2019 Goodyear Cotton Bowl - Penn State
- 2019 VRBO Citrus Bowl - Penn State
- 2017 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl - Penn State
- 2017 Rose Bowl - Penn State
- 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl - Penn State
- 2014 Pinstripe Bowl - Penn State