Lamar University Athletics

A veteran of 33 years, with the majority of that coming in the Southeastern Conference, Melvin Smith joins the LU coaching staff as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Smith comes to the Golden Triangle after spending the previous three years as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Louisiana-Lafayette.
 
Prior to his time in Lafayette, Smith spent two seasons at Auburn where he helped the Tigers to the 2013 SEC Championship and a berth in the BCS Championship game. During his time in Auburn, Smith worked with a pair of All-SEC selections, Jonathan Jones and Jonathan Mincy, who were named to the 2014 second team.
 
In his first season with the Tigers, Smith was a key part of the second biggest turnaround in NCAA football history (+8 games) while his secondary made one of the most dramatic improvements in production, recording 13 interceptions (Auburn picked off just two passes in 2012).
 
Among his pupils in 2013 was senior cornerback Chris Davis who was a second-team AP All-SEC selection and made one of the top plays in the country with a 109-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown in a 34-28 victory over top-ranked Alabama.
 
Before his time in Auburn, the Taylorsville, Miss., native spent seven seasons at Mississippi State helping the Bulldogs to a No. 15 ranking in the final 2010 national polls and a berth in the Toyota Gator Bowl.
 
During his tenure at Mississippi State, Smith mentored Jonathan Banks, who won the 2012 Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation’s top defensive back. Banks also earned Walter Camp All-America honors and was a first-team All-SEC selection.
 
Smith also tutored a Bulldog defense that had 30 takeaways, which led the SEC and was 12^th nationally. Darius Slay, a second-team All-SEC pick, tied for the league lead in interceptions with five, while Banks had four.
 
In 2009, Smith guided a young group that led the SEC with 17 interceptions. Led by then-freshman Corey Broomfield’s six picks, the corners improved as the season progressed. For his efforts, Broomfield was named Freshman All-SEC. In 2011, Smith continued to tutor Broomfield and Banks, who developed into an All-SEC performer and were named semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
 
Smith returned to Mississippi State in 2006 after spending time at both Alabama and Texas A&M. In just his second season back at MSU, Smith helped the Bulldogs’ pass defense rank fourth in the SEC, allowing just 182.2 yards per game, and sixth in pass efficiency defense (114.8) The Bulldogs improved their interception total from 12 to 15.
 
The 33-year coaching veteran went back to Mississippi State following three seasons at Texas A&M, where he coached the safeties. During his tenure in College Station, Smith helped the Aggies to a 7-4 regular-season record in 2004 and a berth in the 2005 Cotton Bowl. Smith coached the safeties at Alabama in 2002, where the Crimson Tide team posted a 10-3 regular-season record.
 
He was an assistant football coach at Mississippi State for seven years (1995-2001), helping guide the Bulldogs through the greatest period in the school’s football history. In 2000, three of his four defensive backfield starters signed professional football contracts. That secondary intercepted 19 passes, the second most in school history.
 
Smith has also served as an assistant coach at Ole Miss (1992-94) and Delta State (1990-91). He began his coaching career on the high school level at Greenwood (Miss.) in 1982. By the time he joined the Delta State staff in 1990, he had also joined the Army Reserves for a stint that would eventually last eight years.
 
Smith is married to the former Shelia McLemore and they are the parents of four children, sons Robert and Ricky, and daughters Deondra and Ashlee.