Mizzou Head Football Coach Eliah Drinkwitz has added defensive assistant D.J. Smith to his coaching staff, as announced today.
Smith, who spent the 2019 season on Drinkwitz’s staff as outside linebackers coach at Appalachian State, has spent the past two seasons there in that role – both years that saw the Mountaineers win the Sun Belt Conference championship. Details of Smith’s contract with Mizzou, as well as his specific coaching duties, will be released pending completion of the human resources process.
Smith, who was a standout linebacker for the Mountaineers, has been part of the App State coaching staff in various roles since 2016. In that time, App State amassed a 42-10 overall record, won or shared four-straight Sun Belt Conference championships, and went a perfect 3-0 in bowl games to date.
Working under Drinkwitz in 2019, Smith helped lead the Mountaineers to a Sun Belt title with a 12-1 overall record and a No. 20 national ranking. App State’s defense played a key role in its title run, as the Mountaineers ranked in the Top 30 nationally in numerous major statistical categories, including: third down defense (14th NCAA/1st Sun Belt – 31.4%), pass efficiency defense (18th NCAA/1st Sun Belt – 114.60), interceptions (19th NCAA/1st Sun Belt – 13), scoring defense (22nd NCAA/2nd Sun Belt – 20.2 avg.) and total defense (26th NCAA/1st Sun Belt – 335.9 avg.).
“D.J. is a man of character who has played football at the highest level,” said Drinkwitz. “He’s a great teacher and organizer, and he impressed me with how he presents his ideas in a clear and concise way. That gives him an ability to relate to the players both on a personal level, as well as the football aspect.”
Two of Smith’s pupils received 2019 all-conference recognition, including Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, and first-team All-Sun Belt honoree Akeem Davis-Gaither. Additionally, Noel Cook was voted to All-Sun Belt honorable mention team.
“I’m blessed and honored to have the opportunity to come work with Coach Drink,” said Smith. “Having worked with him the past year, I learned a lot from him on how to be a better coach, a better man and a better father. I’m excited to come to Mizzou and to work hard to build something special with the team and for our fans. I can’t wait to get started,” he said.
In helping App State win the inaugural Sun Belt Championship Game and win a fourth straight bowl game in 2018, Smith coached a group that included Davis-Gaither, who led Sun Belt players from bowl-bound teams in tackles per game.
Smith amassed 525 tackles as an App State linebacker from 2007-10 and played four NFL seasons with the Green Bay Packers (2011-13), San Diego Chargers (2013) and Carolina Panthers (2014). He returned to Boone in 2016 as the director of recruiting relations and worked in 2017 as a senior defensive analyst.
A Charlotte native, Smith started the final nine games of App State's 2007 national championship run as a true freshman and had more than 120 tackles in each of his four college seasons, including two in which he earned All-America recognition. He finished his career with 50 straight starts and ranks second behind only Dexter Coakley on the career tackles list at Appalachian.
After being a sixth-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2011, he made three starts in 16 games as a rookie and started six more games the following year. He totaled 82 tackles, two sacks and one interception with the Packers before spending time with the San Diego Chargers and Carolina Panthers from 2013-14.
A graduate of Charlotte’s Independence High School, Smith is the son of Pamela Rice and Darryl Smith, Sr. He has a son, Carter.
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