Kennesaw State football head coach Brian Bohannon announced the addition of Ray Smith as defensive backs coach Jan. 8, 2024. Smith, an 18-year coaching veteran, spent the last seven seasons at Southeast Missouri (SEMO).
“I am excited to welcome Ray to the coaching staff at Kennesaw State,” said Bohannon. “He has a lot of experience recruiting inside the state of Georgia and will be a great addition to the staff. I look forward to watching him develop our student-athletes.”
While at SEMO, Smith served as the cornerbacks coach from 2017-23 and spent the final three seasons as the Redhawks’ defensive pass game coordinator. In 2020, his pass defense ranked second in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and eighth in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) for interceptions with 10.
Smith’s defense finished third for interceptions within the OVC for the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. In 2022, SEMO tallied 11 picks on the year with 10 different players recording an interception. Smith also mentored Lawrence Johnson who garnered All-America and All-OVC honors that season.
In his second year at SEMO, the Redhawks’ defense led the nation in three different categories: turnover margin, turnovers gained and interceptions for the 2018 season.
Prior to SEMO, Smith was the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at Southwest Baptist from 2015-16. In 2016, the Bearcats tallied 14 interceptions and 29 pass break ups. Smith also mentored Shaun Hutchinson who finished the year as the team’s leading tackler.
Smith’s first season at Southwest Baptist was full of success. The SBU secondary led the Great Lakes Valley Conference in interceptions (17) and turnover margin. Smith also had one player collect 2015 All-America honors in Antion McBee.
From 2012-15, Smith was an assistant coach at Schaumburg High School in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Smith led the Saxons to a Mid-Suburban West Conference championship with an appearance in the Illinois High School Association 7A quarterfinals in 2013.
Smith received his first Division I coaching position in 2011 at Indiana State. He was responsible for coaching the Sycamores’ cornerbacks.
From 2008-10, Smith coached defensive backs at the University of St. Francis (Ill.). During his tenure, the Fighting Saints put together two 7-4 seasons, collecting the second-best record in program history at the time.
Smith received his first coaching opportunity at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville from 2006-07. He was responsible for defensive backs and assisted in the development of WIAC Second-Team All-Conference selection Hans Christenson.
Smith graduated from North Illinois in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Corporate Communications. He was a four-year letterwinner for the football team and played on four Mid-America Conference West Championship teams. Smith was named a team captain and earned first team All-MAC honors as a senior.
In 2007, Smith received his Master of Science in Adult Education from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Other career highlights include being selected for the 2020 National Football League’s Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship Coaching position with the Cleveland Browns. Smith worked with the team during OTAs and training camp. He also spent time during the summer of 2023 as a coaching intern with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.
He and his wife, Courtney, have one son, Tripp and three daughters, Leila, Zoe and Amani.
