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February 7th, 2008, 04:47 PM
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Two Former Morehead State Football Assistants Named NFL Head Coaches
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Within the past week, two former Morehead State University football assistant coaches have been hired as new head coaches in the National Football League (NFL). Mike Smith, former defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Morehead State University, was announced Thursday (Jan. 24) as the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons while John Harbaugh was named head coach of the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 18.
Smith had been the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator since 2003. He will be Atlanta's sixth coach since December 2003. Before former Louisville coach Bobby Petrino quit, Dan Reeves and Jim Mora were fired. Wade Phillips and Emmitt Thomas worked three games each as interim replacements.
After his 1986 season at MSU, Smith had a 12-year stint at Tennessee Tech (1987-98) before moving to the NFL. He spent the first four with the Baltimore Ravens, including helping the team to its first Super Bowl championship in 2000, before joining Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville.
He played collegiately at East Tennessee State University.
"My goal is to build a well-disciplined, hard-nosed football team that will be able to run the football on offense and stop the run on defense," Smith said. "I've always believed that's what makes championship teams."
After spending three years at the University of Pittsburgh under MSU Hall of Famer Mike Gottfried, Harbaugh served an Eagle assistant in 1988 where he was special teams, secondary, strength and conditioning coach.
He has spent the last 10 years with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2007, he was secondary coach for the Andy Reid.
"I'm a football coach. That's what I wanted to be, and that's what I am," Harbaugh said. "I'm excited to be the head coach of the Ravens. It's a big job that provides the opportunity to work with some great people. I can't wait to get started."
Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, another former Morehead State assistant, reportedly had been interviewed for numerous NFL head coaching positions.
Several Eagle football players through the years have had NFL careers. Most well known
is Super Bowl XXI Most Valuable Player Phil Simms of the New York Giants. Simms is now
the lead professional football analyst for CBS Sports. Among the other former Eagles who
have seen NFL action are Gary Shirk (New York Giants), Nick Nighswander (Buffalo Bills),
Greg Bright (Cincinnati Bengals), Adrian Breen (Cincinnat Bengals), Randy Frazier (Kansas
City Chiefs), Dave Haverdick (Detroit Lions) and Billy Poe (Cincinnati Bengals).
Two Former Morehead State Football Assistants Named NFL Head Coaches
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Within the past week, two former Morehead State University football assistant coaches have been hired as new head coaches in the National Football League (NFL). Mike Smith, former defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Morehead State University, was announced Thursday (Jan. 24) as the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons while John Harbaugh was named head coach of the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 18.
Smith had been the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator since 2003. He will be Atlanta's sixth coach since December 2003. Before former Louisville coach Bobby Petrino quit, Dan Reeves and Jim Mora were fired. Wade Phillips and Emmitt Thomas worked three games each as interim replacements.
After his 1986 season at MSU, Smith had a 12-year stint at Tennessee Tech (1987-98) before moving to the NFL. He spent the first four with the Baltimore Ravens, including helping the team to its first Super Bowl championship in 2000, before joining Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville.
He played collegiately at East Tennessee State University.
"My goal is to build a well-disciplined, hard-nosed football team that will be able to run the football on offense and stop the run on defense," Smith said. "I've always believed that's what makes championship teams."
After spending three years at the University of Pittsburgh under MSU Hall of Famer Mike Gottfried, Harbaugh served an Eagle assistant in 1988 where he was special teams, secondary, strength and conditioning coach.
He has spent the last 10 years with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2007, he was secondary coach for the Andy Reid.
"I'm a football coach. That's what I wanted to be, and that's what I am," Harbaugh said. "I'm excited to be the head coach of the Ravens. It's a big job that provides the opportunity to work with some great people. I can't wait to get started."
Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, another former Morehead State assistant, reportedly had been interviewed for numerous NFL head coaching positions.
Several Eagle football players through the years have had NFL careers. Most well known
is Super Bowl XXI Most Valuable Player Phil Simms of the New York Giants. Simms is now
the lead professional football analyst for CBS Sports. Among the other former Eagles who
have seen NFL action are Gary Shirk (New York Giants), Nick Nighswander (Buffalo Bills),
Greg Bright (Cincinnati Bengals), Adrian Breen (Cincinnat Bengals), Randy Frazier (Kansas
City Chiefs), Dave Haverdick (Detroit Lions) and Billy Poe (Cincinnati Bengals).