Arthur Smith linked to top college coaching job
Oct 28, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith walks the sidelines during warmup for a game against the New York Giants at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is repeatedly being linked to a noteworthy college coaching opening.
Speculation has grown that Smith could be a candidate for the vacant head coaching job at North Carolina. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic wrote on Tuesday that Smith has traction with “key people” in Chapel Hill, while John Brice of Football Scoop wrote Wednesday that Smith would be interested in the job.
Andy Staples of On3 also suggested that Smith could get a look.
NEW: Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has been added to the North Carolina Head Coach Hot Board👀
(via @Andy_Staples) https://t.co/3qCiAFh06E pic.twitter.com/MfYzekvv2Y
— On3 (@On3sports) November 26, 2024
Smith played offensive line at North Carolina from 2001 to 2005 and got his start in coaching there as a graduate assistant. One potential draw could be that his father is FedEx founder Fred Smith, whose wealth could be an asset in terms of NIL money for players.
Smith is fresh off a stint as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, where he went 7-10 in each of his three seasons. He has not worked at the college level since 2010, when he was a defensive intern for Houston Nutt at Ole Miss. The Steelers brought him in after his firing to run their offense, and while the unit has still been middle-of-the-road in 2024, the team is 8-3 with a noticeable improvement since Russell Wilson assumed the starting job.
The Tar Heels are looking for a replacement for Mack Brown, who will not be brought back next year after six seasons as coach.
