Penn State football staff adds longtime offensive coordinator as analyst

STATE COLLEGE — Penn State continued to bolster its off-field staff around coach James Franklin and company by hiring another analyst in Rod Smith.

“I am extremely thankful to @coachjfranklin and the @PennStateFball program for the opportunity to serve as Offensive Analyst. My family and I are excited to start the next chapter!” Smith tweeted Friday.

Smith, 49, spent the 2021 season as an analyst under Bronco Mendenhall at Virginia. Previously, he spent three seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Lovie Smith at Illinois. He was the acting head coach for the 2020 season finale at Penn State after Smith was fired.

Smith has extensive background with Rich Rodriguez. Smith played for Rodriguez, who rose to prominence in the 2000s at West Virginia, at Glenville State in the 1990s, and the two men worked together at West Virginia (2001, 2007); Michigan (2008-10); and Arizona (2012-17).

Smith was a graduate assistant for Rodriguez in 2001, and he returned in 2007 to be the quarterbacks coach for Mountaineers star Pat White. In between 2001 and 2007, Smith was the offensive coordinator, passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at South Florida.

Smith was Rodriguez’s quarterbacks coach during his ill-fated stint at Michigan, and Smith was also the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during Rodriguez’s tenure at Arizona.

Smith also spent the 2011 season as Indiana’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Penn State has bolstered its off-field staff numbers this offseason. Smith joins Dan Connor, Gabe Infante, Rick Lyster and Frank Leonard as new analysts to join the program this offseason. Rashad Elby and Rashad Rich have also been new additions to the recruiting department.