Terry M. Smith

COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• A standout wide receiver at Penn State, Terry M. Smith is in his 10th season as the Nittany Lions’ defensive recruiting coordinator and cornerbacks coach.
• Smith added the title of associate head coach following the 2020 season after being assistant head coach the previous five years.
• As the defensive recruiting coordinator, Smith has helped the PSU secure 10 consecutive top-25 classes, including a top-5 class in 2018, a top-6 class in 2022 and top-15 classes in seven of the last nine seasons.
• Over the last five years, Smith has played a pivotal role in helping develop seven Nittany Lion defensive backs that were drafted, tied for second most in the nation during that span.
• The Nittany Lions finished first nationally in 2022 with 85 pass breakups and had four games with double-digit pass breakups.
• Smith tutored a pair of second-team All-Americans in 2022 in Joey Porter Jr. and Kalen King.
• Penn State’s defense allowed just 17.3 points per game in 2021, good for sixth in the country, and just 11 passing touchdowns on the year, ranking fourth.
• The cornerback room had a pair of All-Big Ten honorees in Joey Porter Jr. (third team) and Tariq Castro-Fields (honorable mention), while nickel corner Daequan Hardy finished 12th in the league in passes defended.
• Both of Penn State’s starting cornerbacks earned All-Big Ten honors in 2020, as Porter picked up third team recognition and Castro-Fields earned honorable mention laurels from the league.
• During the 2019 season, Penn State’s secondary allowed just 10 passing touchdowns (T-3rd nationally) and broke up 52 passes (T-23rd). The secondary contributed to 11 of PSU’s nation’s best 22 forced fumbles.
• Cornerbacks John Reid and Castro-Fields earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2019.
• In 2018, the secondary limited opponents through the air, finishing fifth nationally in yards per pass attempt (5.67), eighth in team passing efficiency (106.10) and 15th in passing yards allowed (181.5).
• 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. It was 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 and were invited to the NFL Combine.
• 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.
• The defense finished in the Top 25 in FBS in scoring defense (7th; 16.5), total defense (17th; 329.5) and team passing efficiency defense (21st; 114.88) in 2017. Penn State’s 16.5 points allowed per game were the fewest since the 2009 squad gave up 12.2 tallies per contest.
• In 2016, Haley scooped up the blocked field goal attempt and returned it 60 yards for the game-winning touchdown in the win over No. 2 Ohio State. Haley also made the game-sealing tackle on fourth-and-1 on Wisconsin’s final drive of the Big Ten Championship Game.
• Reid earned All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades in 2016 after leading the Nittany Lions with 10 passes defended.
• Smith’s second season saw the secondary rank eighth in the FBS in passing yards allowed (173.5), while cornerbacks Trevor Williams and Haley each earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades in 2015.
• In his first year back at Penn State, he developed a secondary that pushed the Nittany Lions to finish No. 2 nationally in pass efficiency defense.
• Smith was the wide receivers coach at Temple in 2013, where the Owls set a school record for passing yards (2,996) and tied the school standard with 23 receiving touchdowns in 2013, with current Carolina Panther Robby Anderson gaining a school game-record 249 yards.
• A standout player at Gateway High School near Pittsburgh, Smith was a highly successful head coach at his alma mater from 2002-12, compiling a record of 101-30 and posting four WPIAL AAAA runner-up finishes.
• Smith coached in three U.S. Army All-American and Semper Fidelis All-America games, and also coached at Duquesne University (four years) and Hempfield (Pa.) High School.

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 10th in career receiving touchdowns (15), 13th in career receiving yardage (1,825) and 14th 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.

PROMINENT PLAYERS COACHED

• John Reid (Penn State) - Houston Texans; 2020 NFL Draft fourth-round
• Amani Oruwariye (Penn State) - Detroit Lions; 2019 NFL Draft fifth-round pick
• Christian Campbell (Penn State) - Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL); NFL (2018-19); 2018 NFL Draft sixth-round pick
• Grant Haley (Penn State) - New York Giants
• Jordan Lucas (Penn State) - Chicago Bears; 2016 NFL Draft sixth-round pick; Super Bowl LIV Champion
• Trevor Williams (Penn State) - Philadelphia Eagles
• Robby Anderson (Temple) - Carolina Panthers
• Nate Hairston (Temple) - New York Jets; 2017 NFL Draft fifth-round pick
• Justin King (Gateway) - NFL (2008-13); 2008 NFL Draft 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) - Washington Redskins; 2017 NFL Draft fourth-round pick

THE SMITH FILE

Personal

Year at Penn State: Ninth
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) - Wide Receiver 
• CFL Toronto Argonauts (1993) - Wide Receiver 
• CFL Shreveport Pirates (1994-95) - Wide Receiver
• AFL Albany Firebirds (1996) - Wide Receiver

Bowl Games as a Coach

• 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