Terry M. Smith

Biography

COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS A standout wide receiver at Penn State, Terry M. Smith is in his 12th season in 2025 as the Nittany Lions’ defensive recruiting coordinator and cornerbacks coach, and his fifth as associate head coach. The No. 4-ranked recruiter in the Big Ten in 2023 by 247Sports, Smith has helped PSU secure 12-straight top-25 classes, including a top-5 class in 2018, a top-6 class in 2022 and top-15 classes in nine of the last 11 years. Smith has played a pivotal role developing seven Penn State cornerback draft picks since 2015, tied for first nationally. With new starting corners in 2024, Penn State ranked fourth in the FBS in interceptions, seventh in total defense (294.8), eighth in scoring defense (16.5), 10th in takeaways (26) and 13th in passes defended (72). In their first year with the program in 2024, cornerbacks A.J. Harris (third team) and Jalen Kimber (honorable mention) earned All-Big Ten honors. He led a cornerback room in 2023 which featured three All-Big Ten honorees in Kalen King (second team), Johnny Dixon (third team) and Daequan Hardy (third team), as Penn State finished second in the country in total defense and seventh in passing defense (172.1). Hardy (Bills) and King (Packers) were selected in the NFL Draft, marking the third-straight year PSU has had multiple defensive backs drafted. The Nittany Lions finished first nationally in 2022 with 85 pass breakups, and second in defensive pass efficiency and completion percentage. Smith tutored a p

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