Football Robb Smith set to return as Co-DC / Play Caller

[koleszar]

Was there no one under Z in the rolodex?

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

There was entire coaching and regime changed from 2021 to 2022. Elko was hired and brought on Smith. But Elko is a bit of a defensive genius. Was Elko calling the defense? Odd that Elko already had a replacement prior to announcing Robb Smith “choosing” to leave. What doesn’t add up is the excuse. Leaving to be with family in Minnesota only to reverse course and head to Penn State to be an analyst and staying in that role for 2+ years. Without an upgrade.

https://footballscoop.com/news/duke-set-to-lose-replace-defensive-coordinator-mike-elko-robb-smith-tyler-santucci

Eh I don’t know. It seems like something was going on for sure, but perhaps not exactly what your describing. Seems like Elko may have had broader plans in mind with an eye on completely screwing Duke and looking ahead to that A&M job after their poor season in 2022. He snags A&Ms DC who he worked with before at A&M knowing full well that if he produced another good season he’d be the frontrunner. Something tells me the push out had very little to do with Smith performing poorly. How could it? The D went from 127th ranked to 31st ranked.

 

[kupuna133]

Eh I don’t know. It seems like something was going on for sure, but perhaps not exactly what your describing. Seems like Elko may have had broader plans in mind with an eye on completely screwing Duke and looking ahead to that A&M job after their poor season in 2022. He snags A&Ms DC who he worked with before at A&M knowing full well that if he produced another good season he’d be the frontrunner. Something tells me the push out had very little to do with Smith performing poorly. How could it? The D went from 127th ranked to 31st ranked.

That’s not what I’m saying at all. Sounds like he was forced out from Duke. Don’t know the reason but sounds like Elko wanted Santucci bad and with one year removed from A&M had more cover.

The issue is that Smith has not moved any further than analyst in 2 years and here we are hiring him as DC 2 months into a search. I don’t hate Smith. I hate that like the guys that run this site say on their podcast. That we keep getting fooled that a true search actually happens and that it is anything but retread after retread.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Reading between the lines - we probably wanted Sparber as the linebackers coach. Sparber and Smith have the relationship from Duke and this arrangement was constructed. It allows Greg to roll the dice with an up and comer while retaining steady stability at the same time in bringing Rob back. I’m not why anyone should be upset.

By giving Sparber the Co-DC title it allows us to give him more money.

So who are we losing or downgrading to analyst from defensive staff to allow for the hiring of Smith?

No one. The only limit on coaches is the number you can have recruiting. As going on the recruiting trail was not Smith's strong point, this is a win-win.

 

[NickRU714]

Past 2 years at PSU?
That's going to ruffle some feathers around here.
If Rutgers fans shouldnt even prefer PSU to win a championship (over non-Big Ten team) then hiring someone who willingly went to PSU after what happened is much worse.

Rank the remaining 8 teams wrt your personal preference for winning the NC

1) Oregon; I have no beef with the Ducks. They have never won a title, and it would be nice for the Big Ten to win two in a row. 2) Boise St; One of the best of the mid majors for years. It would be nice to see them have their "Hoosiers" moment. 3) ASU; a former PAC also ran. Even if they...

rutgers.forums.rivals.com

 

[RUPete]

The more I think about it, the more I like this hire. I hadn’t really followed Smith once he left. It sounds like he did a great job in his one season at Duke after he left us and then chose to take some time off to spend with his family. Why are some folks referring to him as a “dud”? Throughout his career,his first year track record as DC has been excellent everywhere he’s gone except the Covid year. And we have a great pipeline lined up. What gives?

You’re selling me on this. I guess I was looking for a fresh perspective with this hire. But if Smith and GS can mentor and bring along a young coaching talent, I’m all for it.

 

[ru66]

sounds like this,sounds like that---if you really don't know shyt about the hire, speculate all you want, what's disturbing is that the speculation generally is always a negative.. We have inbred trolls when it comes to RU.

 

[kupuna133]

By giving Sparber the Co-DC title it allows us to give him more money.



No one. The only limit on coaches is the number you can have recruiting. As going on the recruiting trail was not Smith's strong point, this is a win-win.

Goes against what was said on the podcast. The coaching staff was at max capacity prior to Smiths hiring and that there would need to be attrition.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

That’s not what I’m saying at all. Sounds like he was forced out from Duke. Don’t know the reason but sounds like Elko wanted Santucci bad and with one year removed from A&M had more cover.

The issue is that Smith has not moved any further than analyst in 2 years and here we are hiring him as DC 2 months into a search. I don’t hate Smith. I hate that like the guys that run this site say on their podcast. That we keep getting fooled that a true search actually happens and that it is anything but retread after retread.

I just listened to the podcast. I don’t remember Smith being that bad when he was here in 2021. He started right after Covid. From ground zero. Maybe he didn’t do enough to warrant a raise per a new contract and he had an opportunity to go work for Elko. So he leaves. The podcast conveniently fails to mention the success Duke had while he was there. The team was better in 2022 than 2023. Maybe Elko is entirely responsible for the success and not Smith but if anything his performance would’ve been a neutral nothing at worst - not “bad”. The team went from 3-9 to 9-4. There’s nothing bad that could be said about that.

Greg is good at coaching D. He likes to be involved and isn’t one who can easily take a back seat when it comes to areas he is knowledgable. He’s not the kind of head coach a flashy hire everyone had in mind is a good fit with. Hafley could well have been plan A.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Goes against what was said on the podcast. The coaching staff was at max capacity prior to Smiths hiring and that there would need to be attrition.

It seems like the guys on the podcast just had a vision for something else and are disappointed. It’s a major exaggeration to say that there was lots of noise calling for Smith to be fired here in 2021. The D started off pretty well that season until the OL was depleted to a point where we couldn’t compete at all. It was 3 and outs over and over again leaving the D out there all the time after that Michigan game. The podcast guys point to averages but outside of a handful of bad games the D was pretty good that season all things considered. I don’t know that he necessarily deserved a raise and a new contract at the time, but I also don’t think his performance was awful. Gleeson deserved to be canned when he was far more than Smith not being renewed.

 

[kupuna133]

I just listened to the podcast. I don’t remember Smith being that bad when he was here in 2021. He started right after Covid. From ground zero. Maybe he didn’t do enough to warrant a raise per a new contract and he had an opportunity to go work for Elko. So he leaves. The podcast conveniently fails to mention the success Duke had while he was there. The team was better in 2022 than 2023. Maybe Elko is entirely responsible for the success and not Smith but if anything his performance would’ve been a neutral nothing at worst - not “bad”. The team went from 3-9 to 9-4. There’s nothing bad that could be said about that.

Greg is good at coaching D. He likes to be involved and isn’t one who can easily take a back seat when it comes to areas he is knowledgable. He’s not the kind of head coach a flashy hire everyone had in mind is a good fit with. Hafley could well have been plan A.

Yea again I have no issue with the hire. Kind of what I expected. Don’t understand why it took 2 months to get a retread and slap the retread with a co title. I wish him well. We know what to expect at least.

 

[kupuna133]

It seems like the guys on the podcast just had a vision for something else and are disappointed. It’s a major exaggeration to say that there was lots of noise calling for Smith to be fired here in 2021. The D started off pretty well that season until the OL was depleted to a point where we couldn’t compete at all. It was 3 and outs over and over again leaving the D out there all the time after that Michigan game. The podcast guys point to averages but outside of a handful of bad games the D was pretty good that season all things considered. I don’t know that he necessarily deserved a raise and a new contract at the time, but I also don’t think his performance was awful. Gleeson deserved to be canned when he was far more than Smith not being renewed.

Sorry that response regarding podcast was meant for spanky. Podcast said the staff was at max capacity and that there would need to be attrition or retitling to analyst by someone.

 

[MADHAT1]

I agree with whay PSAL said: "Reading between the lines - we probably wanted Sparber as the linebackers coach. Sparber and Smith have the relationship from Duke and this arrangement was constructed. It allows Greg to roll the dice with an up and comer while retaining steady stability at the same time in bringing Rob back. I’m not why anyone should be upset."
I also think despite the firing Greg and Robb are friends and loyal to one another.
This gives Sparber a mentor as he learns the DC position at P-4 level and Smith can benefit from a good season this year when programs start hiring DCs for the 2026 season.
Seeing Smith spent the last 2 years as an analyst , he might not have been in demand as a DC and now
he might get back in the DC hunt if the RU D looks good in 2025

 

[NickRU714]

Sorry that response regarding podcast was meant for spanky. Podcast said the staff was at max capacity and that there would need to be attrition or retitling to analyst by someone.

The numbers of coaches is unlimited now (previously 10 then 11).
You can still only have 11 coaches "recruiting off campus".

So they may have to swap in and out who is "off campus recruiting" at any given moment.

But the number of coaches is fine.
I'll start a separate thread but we now have:
defensive HC
6 defensive coaches (Co-DC, Co-DC/LB,DE, DL, CB, S)
only 5 offensive coaches (OC/QB, RB, OL, TE, WR).

 

[kupuna133]

The numbers of coaches is unlimited now (previously 10 then 11).
You can still only have 11 coaches "recruiting off campus".

So they may have to swap in and out who is "off campus recruiting" at any given moment.

But the number of coaches is fine.
I'll start a separate thread but we now have:
defensive HC
6 defensive coaches (Co-DC, Co-DC/LB,DE, DL, CB, S)
only 5 offensive coaches (OC/QB, RB, OL, TE, WR).

Yea that’s what I thought regarding staff. That’s what the podcast guys must have meant regarding max capacity. Off. Campus recruiting.