Kevin Smith is in his fourth season overall at Old Dominion as special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach.
The 2022 campaign was another excellent showing for Smith and the ODU special teams, as the Monarchs finished in the top-20 in multiple national rankings. Old Dominion punter Ethan Duane led the Sun Belt with 28 punts inside the 20 and tied for third with 12 punts of 50+ yards. The Monarchs led the SBC and finished 13th in the country in punt return defense, allowing just 3.08 yards per return. ODU also led the league and finished 19th in the country in net punting average at 41.21 net yards per punt. ODU also continued its prowess in blocking kicks, finishing 10th in the country with four blocked kicks.
Smith also coached ODU's edge rushers, including Marcus Haynes who led ODU in sacks and tackles for loss in 2022.
Smith led Old Dominion to one of the top special teams units in the country in 2021 as the unit was known for its aggressiveness and big plays. ODU tied for first in the country in blocked punts with four and total blocked kicks with six. All six kicks were blocked by six different players. Kickoff returner LaMareon James earned all-conference and all-freshman honors, as he ranked ninth in the country with a 29.4-yard return average and two touchdowns. Both of James' touchdowns were. returned for 100-yard scores and he was one of just two players in the country to return two kickoffs for 100-yards TDs. His opening kickoff return for a score in the Myrtle Beach Bowl against Tulsa was the first opening kickoff return in ODU history.
Smith also helped coach the ODU edge rushers, helping Marcus Haynes to a career-high 5.5 sacks and developing youngsters Deeve Harris and Kris Caine into pass rushing threats. Harris became the first ODU defensive player to score two touchdowns in the same season. He returned an interception 39-yards for a score at FIU, and he recovered a fumble for a one-yard return in the win over Charlotte.
He comes to Norfolk after spending three seasons at Penn State as a defensive graduate assistant. Smith coached the defensive line for two years and the linebackers for one. Smith assisted with the defensive line and helped Penn State rank in the top 15 in FBS in sacks (10th) and tackles for loss (14th), along with a No. 24 ranking in total defense. Penn State also finished 8th in scoring defense while giving up just 16.0 points per game. This was the third consecutive year that Penn State held their opponents under 18 points per game.
Smith coached the defensive line and was the special teams coordinator at Lock Haven (Pa.) for two years before joining Penn State. His second season at Lock Haven in 2016, the Bald Eagles won four games, the most in a single-season since 2002.
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Urbana University (Ohio). He coached at Urbana for two years, coaching the linebackers and defensive line and special teams.
Smith played linebacker at Urbana and was a two-time All-State honoree at Lexington High School in Ohio.
Smith and his wife, Katie, have two sons, Sawyer and Bowen.