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Robb Smith (Allegheny `97) is entering his seventh season on the Maine coaching staff, third as the defensive coordinator and second as assistant head coach. As the defensive coordinator, Smith works with the linebackers, which has been a vital part of the "Black Hole" defense the past several seasons. In 2007, Smith oversaw a unit which ranked in the top third nationally in total defense -- the third-straight year Maine accomplished the feat. He tutored defensive end Jovan Belcher who went on to earn All-America honors after ranking among the national leaders in sacks and tackles for loss. Belcher was also named to the All-CAA First-Team after leading the league in both categories listed above. In addition to Belcher, linebacker Andrew Downey and defensive tackle Bruno Dorismond were named to the All-CAA Second and Third-Teams, respectively. Maine's defense was one of the main reasons the Black Bears enjoyed a three-game winning streak late in the season. During the streak, the defense yielded an average of just 5.7 points per game, including shutting out Rhode Island, 35-0, and holding the Rams to just 91 yards of total offense. Smith earned the promotion to assistant head coach after leading one of the finest defenses in the nation in 2006. In his first season as the defensive coordinator, the "Black Hole" defense ranked among the top five nationally in several categories, including: rush defense (1st), total defense (2nd), sacks (3rd), scoring defense (4th) and tackles for loss (5th). He helped mentor defensive end Matt King, who was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award and a consensus First-Team All-American by every foundation and news service. King, along with Mike DeVito and Manauris Arias were named to the All-Atlantic 10 First-Team. Other defenders, Daren Stone (2nd Team), John Wormuth (3rd Team), Downey (3rd Team) and Dorismond (3rd Team) also earned all-conference honors. Overall in six seasons, Smith has mentored seven players who have earned first-team all-conference honors and three who have garnered All-America honors. Smith has coached the last four leading tacklers for Maine, spanning the past five seasons. As a defensive backs coach in 2003 and 2004, he helped guide Brandon McGowan to the top total. Smith switched to linebackers for the past three seasons and helped guide leading tacklers Jermaine Walker (2005), Downey (2006) and Wormuth (2007). Smith has worked with five players who have gone on to either play in the NFL or take part in a team's minicamp. The five include: McGowan (Chicago Bears), Walker (Washington Redskins), Stone (Atlanta Falcons), DeVito (New York Jets) and King (New York Jets). Before joining the staff at Maine, Smith worked as a quality control/defensive graduate assistant at the University of Iowa from 1999-01. He was with the 2001 Hawkeye squad that defeated Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl, 19-16. Smith joined the Iowa football staff after serving as assistant coach at Fordham University in 1998, working with Rich Nagy, Maine's former defensive coordinator. Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., Smith played at Allegheny College from 1993-97. As a player, Smith was a three-year letterman at Allegheny College as a strong safety. In 1997, Smith served as a tri-captain as a senior and earned the George Coon Dedication Award. Smith helped Allegheny to four North Coast Athletic Conference Championships and NCAA playoff bids, while compiling a five-year record of 47-7. Smith earned his B.A. degree in economics from Allegheny in 1997. He also earned a masters degree in communications from Iowa in 2002. Smith and his wife, Amy, live in Bangor with their sons, Charles (2) and Jonathan (1). |
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