By LARRY VAUGHT
Since he coached Neal Brown in high school, former Kentucky linebackers coach Chuck Smith is obviously going to be a bit biased in his opinion about the Texas Tech offensive coordinator. However, he has no doubts that Brown would be a “tremendous hire” for new UK coach Mark Stoops to run the Kentucky offense.
“I just think it would be a tremendous hire for them if it happens,” said Smith, who was also UK’s recruiting coordinator. “Neal has such a great reputation right now. He is a hot name and has done a wonderful job. His offense has been in the top 15 (nationally) ever since he has been doing it.
“It would be a tremendous hire for Kentucky if they could lure him away from Texas Tech and get him to come here. I think it would be a big plus for the football program and state and Mark Stoops.”
Browns’ Texas Tech offense averaged over 500 yards per game this year and has been one of the Big Ten’s best the last three years under him. Before that, he had a productive offense at Troy.
What advice would Smith, who worked five years under Rich Brooks and three under Joker Phillips, give Brown about whether he should come to Kentucky?
“I would tell him it is a good place. I love the state of Kentucky,” Smith, a former UK linebacker and Jeffersontown native, said. “I love Kentucky football. My opinion would be biased. I am going to be a Kentucky fan for the rest of my life. I am probably not going to leave the state. I always will follow Kentucky football, so my opinion about him coming would be biased because I still love Kentucky.
“He just has to trust his gut and make his own decision. I have never heard a bad thing about Stoops. He sounds like a really good hire and someone that Neal could really work well with. Neal would love it here and fans would love him and his offense. I have no idea if it will happen, but it would be great for Neal and Kentucky if it did.”
35 Responses to Former UK LB coach Chuck Smith says Neal Brown would be tremendous hire for UK
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I think Neal Brown would complete a combo that would give us the best of both world’s: a top notch DC as Head coach, and a top notch OC. Brown is rumored to be La Tech’s top choice for HC if Dykes leaves (which would be a good move for him IMO), so I don’t know if he would come here. I think Coley would be a huge get in regards to recruiting, but his playcalling and offensive ideas are pretty much unknowns. His only stint as a playcalling OC was in ’06 at FIU, where they went 0-12. Either one would bring a lot of positives.
Stoops and Brown vs Petrino…..I’m OK admitting I’m wrong. I’ll take the Twofer over Petrino….I wish Petrino the best at his New opportunity.
i think coley will be the one comming cause people have said there is friction between coley and fisher right now and he wants to get away from fsu
Eddie..I think he comes only if Coach Stoops sees a benefit in having him on staff. The thing I don’t like is the fact that he does not call FSU’s offensive plays now. Fisher just recently said he was in the market for a new OC, which is Cooley’s title now? Something is not right here. That he may be a good recruiter, etc. is a strong possibility why coach Stoops would bring him here, and maybe a good administrator. I am a little leary of him as play caller. Am I wrong here?
LarryPup… I too am leary about his offensive philosophy and playcalling, but it is really an unknown at this point. There are reports out this afternoon that he will accept OC position on Sunday. I think the recruiting aspect is a huge positive.
That being said, I’m all in on whoever Stoops wants to bring in until I have reason to think otherwise. I don’t think it’s a bad thing that our new staff could consist of the OC and DC from a top ten Fla St. team.
LarryPup
What’s to be leary of his play calling?
Can it be worse than the last 5 years?
I think most of the poeple from this board would have been better play callers than we have had the last 5 years.
John..the more I read about Coley the more I like. H e has a pretty impressive coaching resume, and apparently is a outstanding recruiter, especially south florida, and Miami area. I kind of like him now.
May I add I hope with all my heart that Coach Stoops brings whomever he wants as OC and DC. Also I hope he makes that ass Doug Gottlieb on CBSSports look like a idiot. Gottlieb trashed UK pretty good saying we can’t win after the Stoops hire was made. He is such a cocky little pretty boy.
If Coley does not take the job Stoops has offered,i hope Stoops gives Brown a call.I also hope Stoops keeps Chuck Smith as he was one of the few coaches on Jokers staff doing an excellent job.Every year he had the Linebackers leading the SEC in tackles,with some now playing in the NFL.
Chuck should be a keeper.
I am on the “Keep Chuck Smith” movement. I believe that he is the best position coach that has been on the staff for years.
I just don’t see it for Brown. Coley won’t come here if he isn’t the ‘real’ OC.
Coley could have role as associate head coach/recruiting coordinator. Lot of ways to work this out
I guess I meant to say Coley wouldn’t come here if he isn’t the one doing the offensive play calling or would he?
You are right Larry – There are a lot of ways to work this out.
The Recruiting Coordibnator position is too important.
If Coley can recruit the players who can open the hole at the A gap then that’s all he would need to call as the play calling OC. : )
Give Coley another enticing position and high pay, it would work.
My understanding is the same as Larry’s. He will come as the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator … not as the OC. This definitely raises the bar consistent with the importance of recruiting talent to the success of football programs. I expect an OC will be hired, and maybe even a DC although I hope Stoops handles many of the DC responsibilities. Having Coley will give Stoops the time to put into upgrading our defensive schemes. Competition for recruiters and coordinators is almost as fierce as it is for head coaches. You have to open the billfold to get the best. I heard Stoops has a plan and this is the first of several moves involved in that plan. I know I’m excited.
I agree with both of you – Bill & Tom R.
This does raise the bar for the importance of recruiting.
U.K will have to expect to pay more & it should be worth it.
Stoops has a plan – I just hope our Administration will fully support this plan!
I really am pleasantly surprised to see everyone come around on what I believe is a great hire of Coach Stoops after all the divisive Petrino jibberish. (From mostly other places) I am very excited about the possibilities and I am enjoying all the “What if” proactive discussion. I don’t know much about Neal Brown, and even less about this Coley guy… but it seems to me that if there is a feasible way to obtain and utilize both of their talents, we should do it. Sounds like a no-brainer to me from the things I’ve heard.
We all know how important asst. coaches are, look no further than our basketball program and the coaches Cal has, probably the best asst coaches/recruiters in the nation. If coach Stoops wants to surround himself with Coley and Brown go for it man, the more the merrier.
Do you really believe Jimbo is going to let his ace recruiter get away?
Coley’s reputaion as a recruiter is well known.
But, do we know he is a good recruiter when he’s not at FSU?
FSU was an easy sales pitch to the Florida kids, even easier after Bowden retired.
Let’s just hope that this staff (when complete) can steal some from the state of Florida each year.
I think he is Tim C. Could be that maybe Jimbo is making a move himself. Who knows
Who cares what Chuck Smith thinks. He is a loser just like the rest of the previous regime that knocked Kentucky football back to the stone ages. College football is big business and that guy doesn’t know how to run a business. He needs to go back to high school and teach gym class again. Those who can’t do, teach. Those that can’t teach, teach gym. What a horrible recruiter.
Might want to check some of the linebackers that Chuck coached and see how they played and also maybe check his success rate as a head coach. We can all have our opinions, but hard to see where this one comes from Good Riddance. Obviously must be personal with Chuck for you
Agreed, Larry. Wesley Woodyard, Braxton Kelly, Danny Trevathon, Winston Guy, all made one of the all-SEC teams. And I am probably missing a couple. Bud Dupree is going to make it from this years team in the future.
Apparently Good Riddance knows something we don’t know.But my recommendation for keeping Chuck Smith is performance as the Linebacker coach at UK,and the stars he turned out on an overall dismal team.
The SEC isn’t Boyle County High School Football, Larry.
Wow. Thanks Good Riddance. I didn’t know that. Of course, you apparently didn’t know Chuck had an all-sEC linebacker the last six years, either. If you don’t like Chuck, fine. Just don’t confuse fact with fiction. Ask any players who have played for him what they think of him.
It takes more than one linebacker to win on a football field. I am not questioning his ability to recruit linebackers, but his role and responsibility was much greater than that one position. Smith has been the Recruiting Coordinator since 2009. 18,000 of us saw the fruits of Chuck Smith’s labor on the field at Commonwealth Stadium this season. Other SEC schools run the football recruiting office like a Fortune 500 corporation. It is night and day compared to other SEC schools. Not at Kentucky under Joker and Chuck Smith’s leadership. I am fully aware of all the linebackers that have succeeded as you are aware that Chuck Smith failed miserably recruiting the necessary talent to compete in the SEC. I don’t know Chuck personally and I acknowledge he has accomplished a lot in life, but he definitely didn’t build the relationships and do the little things that are necessary to succeed at this high level. No one can dispute that. The record speaks for itself. Sorry for offending you, Larry.
No offense Good riddance, but if you think Chuck runs UK recruiting, then you are wrong. He coordinates, but he doesn’t recruit every player himself. Agree that Alabama and others run recruiting lot different than UK. But those schools do every thing football-wise better than Kentucky and that’s the big part of the problem that Stoops hopefully will insists gets corrected
I disagree with Good Riddance. Coach Smith’s record for coaching and developing Linebackers is good – As TrueBlueJohn pointed out. It is hard to earn All SEC in any position and Chuck has coached several!
The SEC is not BCHS but the SEC is not the NFL either.
Ask the Denver Bronco’s DC what he thinks about Linebackers from U.K.
Good Riddance, what are you smoking, Chuck Smith was a very good linebackers
coach and did pretty good job to bring in the talent we have. is it Alabama good NO but
it is good to build on and succeed I agree with L V you have a personal agenda against
Chuck……are you VILLE fan? sounds like you might be…………….CFR
I played under Chuck Smith at BCHS. He is a winner and demands that from everyone around him. Losing the way UK did was hard for him to swallow. He reads QB’s like no other and teaches his players the same. The success of the kids he coached at UK speaks for itself. Chuck Smith was just one puzzle piece in a 500 piece puzzle. Laying the blame on Chuck Smith is not fair. A large percentage of the athletes playing in the NFL today played under Chuck Smith. Check the Denver Bronocos stats alone. He even coached Jacob Tamme broncos tight end when he was in high school..