Jason Smith

Jason Smith was officially added to the South Carolina staff as an assistant offensive line coach on Jan. 2, 2026.

A former first round pick in the NFL Draft, Smith comes to Columbia after two seasons on the staff at Abilene Christian University. He spent the 2024 season as the Wildcats’ tight ends coach, then transitioned to become ACU’s running backs coach for the 2025 campaign. During ACU’s United Athletic Conference championship season in 2024, Smith coached All-UAC tight end Jed Castles. In both 2024 and ’25, the Wildcats posted identical 9-5 overall records and 7-1 conference marks, reaching the second round of the FCS playoffs each year.

Smith was a standout tight end and tackle at Baylor University, where he was a team captain, and earned All-American and All-Big 12 Conference honors. He was selected No. 2 overall by the then-St. Louis Rams in the 2009 NFL Draft. Smith was with the Rams until joining the New York Jets in 2012 and the New Orleans Saints in 2013. He finished his NFL career in 2014.

Smith joined the North Texas coaching staff in 2022 as an analyst and coached with the Mean Green for two seasons.

In 2022, North Texas advanced the Conference USA Championship game and earned a trip to the Frisco Bowl. The Mean Green finished in the top three in CUSA in total offense, scoring offense, and rushing offense. UNT finished No. 6 nationally in sacks allowed (0.79).

A Dallas native and nicknamed “Smooth”, Smith was inducted into the Baylor Hall of Fame in 2020. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Baylor in 2008. Smith and his wife, Dacie, have two children, Jate and Drue.