Christian Smith - Defensive Line Coach - Football Coaches - South Dakota State University Athletics

BROOKINGS, SD - SEPTEMBER 7: xxxxxxx (Photo by Dave Eggen/Inertia)

Photo by: Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen

Christian Smith

Title:
Defensive Line Coach
Email:
Christian.Smith@sdstate.edu
Recruiting Area:
Iowa

Christian Smith is in his sixth season as a member of the South Dakota State football coaching staff and will again oversee the development of the entire defensive line in 2022. He mentored the defensive tackles each of his first two seasons before moving to an expanded role in 2019.

A deep Jackrabbit defensive line played a key role in SDSU's run to the Football Championship Subdivision national title game during the 2020-21 spring season. Nine different defensive linemen recorded at least one sack in the 10-game season, highlighted by all-Missouri Valley Football Conference defensive tackle Caleb Sanders' team-leading five. The Jackrabbits tied a program playoff record with seven sacks in the semifinal victory over Delaware.

As a team, SDSU limited opponents to an average of 15 points per game and held the opposition to less than 100 rushing yards four times.

The Jackrabbits remained stout up front during the 2021 season in again advancing to the FCS semifinals. Sanders (6.5 sacks) and defensive end Reece Winkelman (5.5 sacks) were the squad's top two sack artists and were both second-team all-MVFC selections.

In 2019, Smith mentored a Jackrabbit defensive line that increased its sack total by 17 from the previous season, improving from 20 in 2018 to 37. SDSU ranked second among Missouri Valley Football Conference teams in total defense (294.8 yards per game) and third in scoring defense (16.7 points per game), rushing defense (128.9 yards per game) and passing defense (165.8 yards per game).

Individually in 2019, senior defensive end Ryan Earith repeated on the all-MVFC Second Team and freshman defensive end Quinton Hicks was named to the MVFC All-Newcomer Team. Hicks also received recognition on a pair of Football Championship Subdivision Freshman All-America squads.

In 2018, Smith worked with a defensive tackles group primarily made up of first- and second-year players. Redshirt freshman nose tackle Krockett Krolikowski was named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team, as well as freshman All-America squads selected by HERO Sports (first team) and Phill Steele (second team).

As a unit, the Jackrabbits’ interior defensive linemen combined for 83 total tackles, including 20 tackles for loss and six sacks.

During his first year at SDSU, Smith coached a group of interior linemen that was anchored by second-team all-MVFC honoree Kellen Soulek, who ranked second on the team with five sacks during his senior season in 2017. Smith aided in the development of a number of returning players at the defensive tackle spots as the remainder his charges were sophomores or younger.

Prior to his arrival in Brookings, Smith most recently served as a defensive graduate assistant coach at Iowa State during the 2016 season. He worked with both the defensive line and outside linebackers under first-year head coach Matt Campbell.

Smith began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Toledo, where he also worked with the defensive line and outside linebackers as a graduate assistant. He was later promoted to interim linebackers coach for the 2015 Marmot Boca Raton Bowl, which Toledo won over nationally ranked Temple.

As a player, Smith was a four-year starter at defensive end and linebacker for Toledo squads that played in three bowl games. He was selected as a team captain for the 2013 season and finished his senior campaign with 40 total tackles, including four tackles for loss and two sacks, along with three forced fumbles.