Colorado State University Pueblo

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Herman Smith begins his seventh season with the Pack in 2024, as he was hired as the assistant coach for the defensive line in the spring of 2017. He has 25-plus years of coaching and playing experience. He will coach the defensive line and serve as the defensive run game coordinator once again this season.

Smith began his tenure with the Pack in 2017 and has coached the defensive line the past six seasons with the ThunderWolves. Since his arrival at CSU Pueblo, Smith has coached four All-American defensive linemen – Trey Botts (2022), Ikenna Onwuasoanya (2021), Jackson Wibbels (2019) and Michael Wristen (2018).

"Coach Herm's reputation precedes him. He is a proven recruiter and developer at the defensive line position," Vigil said about Smith. "I am so excited to be able to work with Coach Herm."

Prior to coaching at CSU Pueblo, Smith totaled 11 seasons playing professional football with five in the National Football League and six in the Canadian Football League. He began his coaching career at the high school level in 2008 in Las Vegas, Nev., before landing as an assistant coach at Victor Valley College in 2013.
 
Smith served as the defensive line coach and assistant defensive coordinator at VVC from 2013-15. The 2014 team finished the season undefeated and earned the program's first national ranking (25th), which spilled over into the 2015 season where the program went 9-2 and won a second straight American Mountain Conference Championship. He tutored a defensive end to 19 sacks in 2015, which was second in the nation. The VVC defense finished the 2014 season ranked No. 1 in California and were No. 2 following the 2015 campaign.
 
Prior to coming to CSU Pueblo, Smith served as the defensive line coach, pro liaison and junior college recruiting coordinator at Oklahoma Baptist University in 2016.
 
Smith's NFL playing stops included the Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. He played in the CFL with the BC Lions.
 
He played college football at Portland State before joining the professional ranks. He was the 1999 CFL Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, before winning the award in 2000.