Colorado State University Athletics
Smith Won't Let His Defensive Linemen Relax
5/5/2020 12:00:00 PM | Football, RamWire
Goal is to push back line of scrimmage
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Raised in Maine, Antoine Smith developed a love of the outdoors. A chance to explore a new part of the country was a definite bonus as he continues his coaching career at Colorado State.
When he has free time, he expects to be somewhere fishing, at least on the water. As relaxed of a pursuit as it sounds, the picture was nowhere near the same for the Rams' defensive line when they were together on the practice field -- a seven-outing glimpse into their future together.
"They're going to learn that I'm a high-energy guy," said Smith, who worked with head coach Steve Addazio the prior three seasons at Boston College. "They're going to learn that everything we start we finish, and they're going to learn that I am an attention-to-detail guy. They're going to know in a short period of time that I care about them."
Likewise, his players will have no time to relax on game days. Their pursuits are to become disruptive, to create chaos in opposing backfields. They are not playing to allow others to succeed, under Smith, they are out to seek and destroy.
The ball will be placed down on each play, and the goal of his group is to move it back.
"The first thing they're going to learn, and the most important thing is, our room is going to be defined by toughness and discipline," Smith said. "I leave it broad for teaching purposes. When I talk about toughness, it's not a physical thing, it's not just mental -- sometimes it's emotional. It's controlling the uncontrollable. That's going to be who we are. Every snap we play, everything that we do will be a toughness grade and a discipline grade.
"We are going to be an attacking, get-up-the-field, penetrating front. That is our M.O. We don't read gaps. We will very rarely two-gap. We are trying to create a new line of scrimmage on every snap for the rest of our life."
Smith has coached defensive linemen for all but one year when he started his career back in 2002 at Minot State. The one outlier was his first season with Addazio, when he was the director of football initiatives. The next two seasons, he was back on the field making the Eagles productive along the defensive front.
Though their time together has been somewhat brief, they have a mentor in common, which only strengthens the belief Addazio carries for Smith's work.
"He's been with me for a few years, and he's a strong, fundamental teacher on the defensive line," Addazio said. "He's a very loyal, trustworthy guy. He works real hard, and I think he's an excellent technician. He was trained under Paul Pasqualoni, who started me in the business and who I have great faith and trust in. I think Antoine has just done a fabulous job of developing young defensive linemen."
Smith is also fishing for a new challenge, and he likes what the Mountain West has to offer. In his opinion, one can toss a coin in the air from year to year and choose it or the American Athletic Conference, there are none other which compare. The offenses being employed are varied, and he's seen enough of them in the past to know each week brings a new hurdle.
That's fine, because his players are going to learn how to clear them, whatever they may be. The fact the CSU defense made a charge at the end of 2019 is encouraging, but the idea it had been decades since the Rams had made such a run proves there's no direction but up for the unit, with his line clearing the path.
He may be relaxed with a line in the water, but his players will be expected to make it move. A year ago, the Eagles finished the season with 101 tackles for loss, and his group played a big role in opponents playing behind the chains. The Rams, they had 68 stops behind the line of scrimmage.
"It's the start of something new. The thing that's really cool is coaching in the Mountain West. I think it's a unique conference, and it's an opportunity for me to work with Coach Addazio on a second term," Smith said. "I feel very, very honored in that way. I think the other thing I'm looking forward to is working with the defensive line, because they showed some ability that they can be polished and improved. I'm working with a great staff, a great group of guys."
Away from them, he'll find time to enjoy Colorado to its fullest. On the clock, however, he's shown there is no time to waste.
When he has free time, he expects to be somewhere fishing, at least on the water. As relaxed of a pursuit as it sounds, the picture was nowhere near the same for the Rams' defensive line when they were together on the practice field -- a seven-outing glimpse into their future together.
"They're going to learn that I'm a high-energy guy," said Smith, who worked with head coach Steve Addazio the prior three seasons at Boston College. "They're going to learn that everything we start we finish, and they're going to learn that I am an attention-to-detail guy. They're going to know in a short period of time that I care about them."
Likewise, his players will have no time to relax on game days. Their pursuits are to become disruptive, to create chaos in opposing backfields. They are not playing to allow others to succeed, under Smith, they are out to seek and destroy.
The ball will be placed down on each play, and the goal of his group is to move it back.
"The first thing they're going to learn, and the most important thing is, our room is going to be defined by toughness and discipline," Smith said. "I leave it broad for teaching purposes. When I talk about toughness, it's not a physical thing, it's not just mental -- sometimes it's emotional. It's controlling the uncontrollable. That's going to be who we are. Every snap we play, everything that we do will be a toughness grade and a discipline grade.
"We are going to be an attacking, get-up-the-field, penetrating front. That is our M.O. We don't read gaps. We will very rarely two-gap. We are trying to create a new line of scrimmage on every snap for the rest of our life."
Smith has coached defensive linemen for all but one year when he started his career back in 2002 at Minot State. The one outlier was his first season with Addazio, when he was the director of football initiatives. The next two seasons, he was back on the field making the Eagles productive along the defensive front.
Though their time together has been somewhat brief, they have a mentor in common, which only strengthens the belief Addazio carries for Smith's work.
"He's been with me for a few years, and he's a strong, fundamental teacher on the defensive line," Addazio said. "He's a very loyal, trustworthy guy. He works real hard, and I think he's an excellent technician. He was trained under Paul Pasqualoni, who started me in the business and who I have great faith and trust in. I think Antoine has just done a fabulous job of developing young defensive linemen."
Smith is also fishing for a new challenge, and he likes what the Mountain West has to offer. In his opinion, one can toss a coin in the air from year to year and choose it or the American Athletic Conference, there are none other which compare. The offenses being employed are varied, and he's seen enough of them in the past to know each week brings a new hurdle.
That's fine, because his players are going to learn how to clear them, whatever they may be. The fact the CSU defense made a charge at the end of 2019 is encouraging, but the idea it had been decades since the Rams had made such a run proves there's no direction but up for the unit, with his line clearing the path.
He may be relaxed with a line in the water, but his players will be expected to make it move. A year ago, the Eagles finished the season with 101 tackles for loss, and his group played a big role in opponents playing behind the chains. The Rams, they had 68 stops behind the line of scrimmage.
"It's the start of something new. The thing that's really cool is coaching in the Mountain West. I think it's a unique conference, and it's an opportunity for me to work with Coach Addazio on a second term," Smith said. "I feel very, very honored in that way. I think the other thing I'm looking forward to is working with the defensive line, because they showed some ability that they can be polished and improved. I'm working with a great staff, a great group of guys."
Away from them, he'll find time to enjoy Colorado to its fullest. On the clock, however, he's shown there is no time to waste.
Tuesday, May 13
Wednesday, April 17
Thursday, April 20
Thursday, December 15