Michael Smith came to San José State in March of 2024 as the running backs coach after one season at Northern Colorado, serving as the Associate Head Coach, Run Game Coordinator, and Running Backs Coach.
In 2024, Smith helped the Spartans to over 1,000 rushing yards while throwing for more than 4,000 yards and helped the offensive line protect the quarterback by only letting up 12 sacks which was third-best in the Mountain West Conference and ninth in the country on passing attempts per game, the second most in the country.
Smith came to Northern Colorado after spending four seasons on the Utah Tech Football coaching staff. At Utah Tech, he was the defensive pass game coordinator (2022) and oversaw a talented safety and nickelback group. One defensive back earned first-team all-conference.
In 2021, Smith oversaw one of the most talented and deepest secondary units in the WAC and FCS headlined by safety Tyrell Grayson, who finished the 2021 regular season as the unofficial NCAA D-I FCS leader in solo tackles (79) and led the WAC in total tackles (103). Tyrell made his way to second-team all-conference and HERO Sports Freshman All-American honors.
In the program’s first FCS season in the spring of 2021, Smith helped lead a defensive unit that surrendered just 168.8 yards in the air.
In Smith’s first season at Utah Tech in 2019, he led the Blazer defensive backs to the RMAC top mark in passing defense, allowing just 193.8 yards per game to go with an opponent completion percentage of 46.7 percent. Three UT defensive backs earned All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference honors, led by Aaron Simpson, who also earned All-Region honors.
Coming to Utah Tech after spending the 2018 season as a defensive analyst at BYU, Smith helped analyze and break down offensive and defensive coaching strategies, developed assessments and recommendations on athletes’ recruitment, and aided in the development of coaching and practice sessions. That year, BYU earned a berth in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, where it claimed a 49-18 win over Western Michigan.
Before his time at BYU, Smith served three years (2015-18) as a football strength and conditioning graduate assistant at Oregon State where, among many duties, he helped coach all concepts of the OSU football strength and conditioning program.
Smith was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2012 National Football League draft. He spent two years with the Buccaneers and a short time with the New York Jets before injuries hampered his NFL career. Smith’s professional career also included a stint with the Ottawa Redbacks of the Canadian Football League in 2014, before he retired and turned to coaching.
Smith enjoyed an exceptional career as a running back at Utah State (2009-11), where as a senior in 2011, he led the Western Athletic Conference and ranked third in the NCAA in rushing yards per attempt, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. Smith also helped lead the Aggies to a berth in the 2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, USU’s first bowl appearance in 14 years. Smith rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries, earning game MVP honors.
Before Utah State, Smith earned All-Western States Football League honors as a sophomore at Eastern Arizona College, where he was named EAC Athlete of the Year in 2009. He was also named a team captain at both Eastern Arizona and Utah State.
He earned two bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Economics at Utah State in 2012, and a master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at Oregon State in 2017. Michael and his wife, Karrie, are the parents of two children – a daughter London, and a son August.
MICHAEL D SMITH'S FILE
Coaching History
2024 San José State - Running Backs Coach
2023 Northern Colorado - Asst. Head Coach - Run Game Coordinator - Running Backs
2022 Utah Tech - Defensive Pass Game Coordinator - Safeties & Nickelbacks
2021 Utah Tech (Dixie State) - Defensive Pass Game Coordinator – Corners
2020 Utah Tech (Dixie State) - Defensive Backs
2019 Utah Tech (Dixie State) - Defensive Backs
2018 BYU – Defensive Analyst
2017 Oregon State - Graduate Assistant - Strength and Conditioning
2016 Oregon State - Graduate Assistant - Strength and Conditioning
2015 Oregon State - Graduate Assistant - Strength and Conditioning
Bowl Games (1)
BYU: 2018 Idaho Potato Bowl
Utah State: 2011 Idaho Potato Bowl (player)
Playing Experience
2014 Ottawa Red Blacks
2014 New York Jets
2012-13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Running Back (drafted)
2008-11 Utah State - Running Back
2006-08 Eastern Arizona - Running Back
Education
2017 Oregon State - Masters: Interdisciplinary Studies
2011 Utah State - Bachelor: Finance
2011 Utah State - Bachelor: Economics
2008 Eastern Arizona - Associate Degree
2006 Sunnyside - High School Diploma
Hometown
Tucson, Arizona
Family
Wife: Karrie
Two Children: London, August