Penn State football analyst takes coordinator role at Big Ten foe

James Franklin and Penn State football are losing a member of the program’s off-field staff with over a decade of experience in the Big Ten to a conference rival.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Nittany Lions offensive analyst Robb Smith is set to be hired by Rutgers as its co-defensive coordinator.

The move marks Smith’s third stint in Piscataway. Smith originally served as special teams coordinator for three seasons before taking over the Scarlet Knights’ defense in 2012. He later returned to run the defense in 2020 and 2021. It also marks the fourth time Smith has coached under Greg Schiano, following the Rutgers head coach to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013.

Sources: Rutgers is set to hire Robb Smith as the school’s co-defense coordinator and defensive play caller. This will be his third stop as a defensive coordinator at Rutgers, and third time overall at the school. He’s been the DC at Arkansas, Minnesota and Duke. pic.twitter.com/7AadUQQslz

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 4, 2025

In addition to Rutgers and Penn State, Smith also spent time at Iowa and Minnesota within the Big Ten. Stints at Arkansas, Texas A&M, and Duke round out his nearly two decades of experience at the FBS level.

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Smith spent the last two seasons as an offensive analyst for the Nittany Lions. He stepped into an elevated role in the 2023 Peach Bowl, calling the defense alongside safeties coach Anthony Poindexter following Manny Diaz’s departure for Duke.

“Robb became available; Robb’s from Pennsylvania,” James Franklin said of the Pittsburgh native ahead of the Peach Bowl. “We have a number of people that he trusts that know me and that I trust that know him… He’s got a track record; he understands our program and the culture.”

After not facing the Scarlet Knights in 2024, Penn State football will travel to Rutgers next fall for the regular season finale on November 29.

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