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BAILEY'S
TAKE ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the
Anchor Desk
Tuesday, January 22,
2013
By Brian
Bailey |
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Smith is the right
man for the job
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BRAIN BAILEY SHOW |
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Monday night's BRIAN BAILEY SHOW.
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Dr. Jimmy Grimsley and banquet
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By
Brian Bailey
©2013 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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Rick Smith broke down
when he met the media on Friday afternoon.
“This is home to us,”
Smith said. “I honestly believe. I am a Christian and it’s a miracle.”
[Select
and replay Friday's press conference in a new window...]
Those of us that had
the pleasure of working with Rick Smith before know that he is an
absolute straight shooter. If you ask him a question, he will give you a
straight answer.
He doesn’t sugarcoat
anything and he’ll let you know his feeling on any subject.
According to those
close to the program, the original plan was to get both former defensive
coordinator Greg Hudson and Rick Smith back on the defensive staff.
Hudson turned the Pirates down to go to Purdue, while Smith was quick to
accept the defensive coordinator position.
Hudson and Smith
complimented one another well on Skip Holtz’s staff during those
Conference USA title seasons. They had also worked well together in
different roles at Cincinnati.
“Coach Hudson got me
here (at ECU) with Coach Holtz,” said Smith. “Greg and I did the same
thing we did when I was a coordinator at Cincinnati. I think it’s a
great opportunity for me. I’m riding in here on my white horse so I hope
I walk out of here on my white horse.”
Personally, I see Rick
Smith as a better fit with head coach Ruffin McNeill then Greg Hudson
would have been. I certainly liked working with Coach Hud, who has a
great way with the players. Hud and Holtz had personality clashes at
times, though, and I think the same would have happened with McNeill.
I don’t see that at
all with Rick Smith. Smith is a ball coach with little ego. He works
with defensive backs. Defensive backs have to have short memories for
sure.
There was a time in
his career when Coach Smith thought about getting out of coaching.
“I was burned out a
little bit,” said Smith. “Then an amazing thing happened. I went over
and coached in NFL Europe. I just went back and coached the four guys
that I love, the defensive backs. Over in Germany I didn’t know what the
press was saying because I can’t read German, so I got my passion back
for coaching football.”
Ruffin McNeill is
certainly glad to have Smith on board.
“I did a thorough
search. It was not a quick decision. It was going to be a methodical
one. I pulled my own contacts that I have from the collegiate level and
professional ranks and when I met Rick in person it was a clear cut
decision to bring Rick Smith here. “We’re happy to have him back.”
Smith says he’ll be
multiple with his defensive scheme. Anything and everything that adds up
to eleven will certainly be in play.
“Somebody mentioned
4-3,” said Smith. “Four-three was here before the 4-4; that’s how old I
am. Bud Wilkinson’s the one who invented it. It’s just the Oklahoma
defense. I don’t know how to coach a 4-3. I know how to coach a 4-4.
"I don’t believe you
can do just one thing. You can’t line up in one front because they’ll
put a beat on you. You can’t line up in one coverage. We are going to be
multiple.
“Whatever we do we are
going to be good.”
Smith has a great
saying.
“Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery,” he said with a smile.
Pirate Nation hopes
the defensive mystery has been solved.
“I will bust my butt,”
Smith concluded.
The Pirate defense is
already better.
BB
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