Giff Smith
{{Short description|American football coach (born 1968)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Giff Smith
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team = Los Angeles Rams
| position = Defensive line coach/run game coordinator
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|10|12}}
| birth_place = Mableton, Georgia, U.S.
| high_school =
| college = Georgia Southern
| pastcoaching =
- Arkansas (1991–1993)
Graduate assistant - Georgia (1994–1995)
Graduate assistant - Georgia Southern (1996–1998)
Wide receivers coach - Tulane (1999–2003)
Defensive line coach - Georgia Tech (2004–2009)
Defensive line coach - Buffalo Bills ({{nfly|2010}}–{{nfly|2012}})
Defensive line coach - Tennessee Titans ({{nfly|2014}}–{{nfly|2015}})
Defensive line coach - San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers ({{nfly|2016}}–{{nfly|2021}})
Defensive line coach - Los Angeles Chargers ({{nfly|2022}})
Outside linebackers coach - Los Angeles Chargers ({{nfly|2023}})
Interim head coach & outside linebackers coach - Los Angeles Rams ({{nfly|2024}}–present)
Defensive line coach & run game coordinator
| highlights =
| regular_record = {{Winning percentage|0|3|record=y}}
| playoff_record =
| overall_record =
| pfrcoach = SmitGi0
}}
Giff Smith (born October 12, 1968) is an American football coach who is the defensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the interim head coach for the 2023 season with the Los Angeles Chargers. He was also an assistant coach for the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills.
Early life and education
A native of Mableton, Georgia, Smith played defensive end at Georgia Southern University and was a three-time All-American.
Coaching career
=Early career=
Smith began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Arkansas in 1991. He would then serve as a graduate assistant at the University of Georgia from 1994 to 1995.
=Georgia Southern=
In 1996, Smith was hired as the wide receivers coach at Georgia Southern University.
=Tulane=
In 1999, Smith was hired as the defensive line coach at Tulane University.
=Georgia Tech=
In 2004, Smith was hired as the defensive line coach at Georgia Tech.
=Buffalo Bills=
In 2010, Smith was hired by the Buffalo Bills as their defensive line coach under head coach Chan Gailey.{{cite web | url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/333711-georgia-techs-giff-smith-takes-job-with-bills | title=Georgia Tech's Giff Smith takes job with Bills | date=January 27, 2010 | access-date=May 27, 2012 | author=Odum, Charles}} During his time there, Smith is credited with helping with the emergence of Kyle Williams.
He was dismissed, along with the entire Bills coaching staff, on December 31, 2012.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.buffalonews.com/press-coverage/2012/12/yyyyy-draft-of-a-story-yyyyy.html|title=Bills make it official: Gailey is fired|last=Gaughan|first=Mark|date=31 December 2012|work=The Buffalo News|access-date=31 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102155237/http://blogs.buffalonews.com/press-coverage/2012/12/yyyyy-draft-of-a-story-yyyyy.html|archive-date=2 January 2013|url-status=dead}}
=Tennessee Titans=
In 2014, Smith was hired by the Tennessee Titans as their defensive line coach under head coach Ken Whisenhunt.
=San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers=
In 2016, Smith was hired by the San Diego Chargers as their defensive line coach under head coach Mike McCoy.
In 2017, Smith was retained by the Los Angeles Chargers under head coach Anthony Lynn. In 2022, Smith was promoted to outside linebackers coach under head coach Brandon Staley.
On December 15, 2023, Smith was named the interim head coach following the firing of head coach Brandon Staley.{{cite web|url=https://www.chargers.com/news/chargers-name-giff-smith-interim-head-coach-and-jojo-wooden-interim-gm-2023|title=Los Angeles Chargers Name Giff Smith Interim Head Coach and JoJo Wooden Interim General Manager|date=December 15, 2023|website=Chargers.com|language=en|access-date=December 15, 2023}}{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2023 |title=we have named Giff Smith interim Head Coach and JoJo Wooden interim General Manager |url=https://x.com/chargers/status/1735733648396259440?s=46&t=Hfioamu3WH4n2choFXPPBg |website=X/Twitter}} On December 23, 2023, Smith made his head coaching debut against the Buffalo Bills but the Chargers were defeated 22–24 although they surprised the Bills with a 10-0 and 22-21 lead with under a minute left.{{cite web|title=Bills vs. Chargers - Box Score - December 23, 2023|url= https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401547611|website=ESPN.com|date=December 23, 2023|access-date=December 27, 2023}}
=Los Angeles Rams=
In 2024, Smith was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as their defensive line coach. https://www.therams.com/news/rams-announce-additions-2024-coaching-staff-dave-ragone-giff-smith-greg-williams-nathan-scheelhaase
Head coaching record
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Team | rowspan="2"|Year | colspan="5"|Regular season | colspan="4"|Postseason | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result |
| LAC*||2023
|| 0 || 3 || 0 || {{winpct|0|3}} || 4th in AFC West || — || — || — || — | ||||||||
| colspan="2"|Total || 0 || 3 || 0 || {{winpct|0|3}} || || 0 || 0 || .000 || |
Personal life
Smith and his wife, Jennifer, have two children: Ava and Sam Smith. Ava attends Southern Methodist University and Sam plays football at JSerra Catholic High School.{{cite web|url=https://www.chargers.com/news/chargers-name-giff-smith-interim-head-coach-and-jojo-wooden-interim-gm-2023|title=Giff Smith – Los Angeles Chargers profile|publisher=Los Angeles Chargers}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.chargers.com/team/coaches-roster/giff-smith Los Angeles Chargers profile]
- [http://www.chargers.com/team/coaches/roster/giff-smith San Diego Chargers profile]
{{NFL defensive line coach navbox}}
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{{1989 Georgia Southern Eagles football navbox}}
{{1990 Georgia Southern Eagles football navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Giff}}
Category:Arkansas Razorbacks football coaches
Category:Buffalo Bills coaches
Category:Coaches of American football from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Georgia Bulldogs football coaches
Category:Georgia Southern Eagles football coaches
Category:Georgia Southern Eagles football players
Category:Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football coaches
Category:Los Angeles Chargers coaches
Category:Los Angeles Chargers head coaches
Category:Players of American football from Cobb County, Georgia
Category:San Diego Chargers coaches