University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Ragin' Cajuns Promote Smith To Defensive Coordinator; Add Harbin To Staff
2/19/2015 12:56:00 PM | Football
Harbin brings stints at Auburn, Georgia Southern, Tuskegee to coaching staff
LAFAYETTE – Melvin Smith, who joined the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football staff last month after serving the past two seasons at Auburn, was named as defensive coordinator in an announcement by head coach Mark Hudspeth on Thursday.
Hudspeth also announced that Levorn Harbin, who spent the past two seasons as a defensive line analyst at Auburn, will join the staff and serve as the Ragin' Cajuns defensive line coach.
The hiring of Harbin, a 15-year coaching veteran, is subject to approval from the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors.
Smith, who joined the Ragin' Cajuns staff as assistant head coach, defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator, replaces James Willis who accepted the position of defensive assistant/linebackers coach with the NFL's New Orleans Saints.
The promotion of Smith to defensive coordinator, the January addition of veteran defensive coordinator/head coach Mike Lucas, and the addition of Harbin will give Louisiana one of the most experienced defensive staffs in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
"I'm extremely excited with the development of our defensive staff," Hudspeth said. "Our defensive staff right now has as much experience as most schools in the FBS. All of them have been successful and are going to be great coaches and mentors to our young men.
"Melvin Smith has been long overdue for this opportunity, and with our current assistants on the defensive side, who have all been coordinators in their career, I couldn't be more excited with this staff."
In his two seasons on the Plains, Smith helped the Tigers to the 2013 SEC Championship and a berth in the BCS Championship game.
Smith coached a pair of All-SEC selections for Auburn during the 2014 season, including Jonathan Jones (AP, SEC Coaches) and Jonathon Mincy (SEC Coaches), who were each named to the second team.
In his first season with the Tigers in 2013, Smith was instrumental in the second biggest turnaround in college football history in NCAA records (+8.0 games) while his secondary made one of the most dramatic improvements in production, recording 13 interceptions after recording two in 2012.
Among his pupils in 2013 was senior cornerback Chris Davis who was an Associated Press All-SEC second-team selection and made one of the top plays in college football history with a 109-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown in a 34-28 victory over No. 1-ranked Alabama.
Before his tenure at Auburn, the Taylorsville, Miss., native spent seven seasons at Mississippi State where he worked with Hudspeth (2009-10) and helped the Bulldogs to a No. 15 ranking in the final 2010 national polls and a berth in the Toyota Gator Bowl. Smith also coached at Alabama, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Delta State.
During his tenure at Mississippi State, Smith mentored Jonathan Banks, who won the 2012 Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation's top defensive back. Banks also earned Walter Camp All-America honors and was a first-team All-SEC selection.
Smith tutored a Bulldog defense that had 30 takeaways, which led the SEC and was 12th nationally. Darius Slay, a second-team All-SEC pick, tied for the league lead in interceptions with five, while Banks had four.
In 2009, Smith guided a young group that led the SEC with 17 interceptions. Led by then-freshman Corey Broomfield's six picks, the corners improved as the season progressed. For his efforts, Broomfield was named Freshman All-SEC. In 2011, Smith continued to tutor Broomfield and Banks, who developed into an All-SEC performer and was named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
Smith returned to Mississippi State in 2006 after spending time at both Alabama and Texas A&M. In just his second season back at MSU, Smith helped the Bulldogs' pass defense rank fourth in the SEC, allowing just 182.2 yards per game, sixth in pass efficiency defense (114.8). The Bulldogs improved their interception total from 12 to 15.
The 32-year coaching veteran came back to Mississippi State following three seasons at Texas A&M, where he coached the safeties. During his tenure in College Station, Smith helped the Aggies to a 7-4 regular season record in 2004 and a berth in the 2005 Cotton Bowl. Smith coached the safeties at Alabama in 2002, where the Crimson Tide team posted a 10-3 regular season record.
Smith was an assistant football coach at Mississippi State for seven years (1995-2001), helping guide the Bulldogs through the greatest period in the school's football history. In 2000, three of his four defensive backfield starters signed professional football contracts. That secondary intercepted 19 passes, the second-most in school history.
Smith has also coached on the collegiate level in Mississippi at Ole Miss (1992-94) and Delta State (1990-91). He began his coaching career on the high school level at Greenwood (Miss.) from 1982-89. By the time he became an assistant at Delta State in 1990, he'd joined the Army Reserves for a stint that would eventually last eight years.
Harbin spent seven seasons at Tuskegee University where he served as defensive line coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator from 2006-12. He helped the Golden Tigers to a pair of conference championships, beginning with a 10-2 record in 2006 before a perfect 12-0 mark in 2007.
He coached two seasons at Georgia Southern, working as the defensive ends coach and special teams coordinator for the Eagles. Harbin was part of a GSU staff that claimed the 2002 Southern Conference championship after posting an 11-3 record before finishing 8-3 in 2003.
A native of Butler, Ala., Harbin earned his first full-time coaching position in 2001 after serving as defensive line coach at Valdosta State. Serving as defensive line coach, Harbin was part of a staff that produced a 12-1 record and the Gulf South Conference championship.
Harbin spent one year (2004) as a Pro Scouting assistant with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, two seasons (1999-2000) as an administrative assistant at Auburn, and was a student assistant at North Alabama where he worked with the team's defensive line that was part of the No. 1-ranked defensive unit in the GSC in 1998.
A former offensive lineman at UNA, Harbin was a member of the Lions' Division II national championship team in 1995. A three-year letterwinner for the Lions, Harbin was part of a team that produced a three-year record of 29-8 with a pair of Division II playoff appearances under head coach Bobby Wallace.
Hudspeth also announced that Levorn Harbin, who spent the past two seasons as a defensive line analyst at Auburn, will join the staff and serve as the Ragin' Cajuns defensive line coach.
The hiring of Harbin, a 15-year coaching veteran, is subject to approval from the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors.
Smith, who joined the Ragin' Cajuns staff as assistant head coach, defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator, replaces James Willis who accepted the position of defensive assistant/linebackers coach with the NFL's New Orleans Saints.
The promotion of Smith to defensive coordinator, the January addition of veteran defensive coordinator/head coach Mike Lucas, and the addition of Harbin will give Louisiana one of the most experienced defensive staffs in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
"I'm extremely excited with the development of our defensive staff," Hudspeth said. "Our defensive staff right now has as much experience as most schools in the FBS. All of them have been successful and are going to be great coaches and mentors to our young men.
"Melvin Smith has been long overdue for this opportunity, and with our current assistants on the defensive side, who have all been coordinators in their career, I couldn't be more excited with this staff."
In his two seasons on the Plains, Smith helped the Tigers to the 2013 SEC Championship and a berth in the BCS Championship game.
Smith coached a pair of All-SEC selections for Auburn during the 2014 season, including Jonathan Jones (AP, SEC Coaches) and Jonathon Mincy (SEC Coaches), who were each named to the second team.
In his first season with the Tigers in 2013, Smith was instrumental in the second biggest turnaround in college football history in NCAA records (+8.0 games) while his secondary made one of the most dramatic improvements in production, recording 13 interceptions after recording two in 2012.
Among his pupils in 2013 was senior cornerback Chris Davis who was an Associated Press All-SEC second-team selection and made one of the top plays in college football history with a 109-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown in a 34-28 victory over No. 1-ranked Alabama.
Before his tenure at Auburn, the Taylorsville, Miss., native spent seven seasons at Mississippi State where he worked with Hudspeth (2009-10) and helped the Bulldogs to a No. 15 ranking in the final 2010 national polls and a berth in the Toyota Gator Bowl. Smith also coached at Alabama, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Delta State.
During his tenure at Mississippi State, Smith mentored Jonathan Banks, who won the 2012 Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation's top defensive back. Banks also earned Walter Camp All-America honors and was a first-team All-SEC selection.
Smith tutored a Bulldog defense that had 30 takeaways, which led the SEC and was 12th nationally. Darius Slay, a second-team All-SEC pick, tied for the league lead in interceptions with five, while Banks had four.
In 2009, Smith guided a young group that led the SEC with 17 interceptions. Led by then-freshman Corey Broomfield's six picks, the corners improved as the season progressed. For his efforts, Broomfield was named Freshman All-SEC. In 2011, Smith continued to tutor Broomfield and Banks, who developed into an All-SEC performer and was named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
Smith returned to Mississippi State in 2006 after spending time at both Alabama and Texas A&M. In just his second season back at MSU, Smith helped the Bulldogs' pass defense rank fourth in the SEC, allowing just 182.2 yards per game, sixth in pass efficiency defense (114.8). The Bulldogs improved their interception total from 12 to 15.
The 32-year coaching veteran came back to Mississippi State following three seasons at Texas A&M, where he coached the safeties. During his tenure in College Station, Smith helped the Aggies to a 7-4 regular season record in 2004 and a berth in the 2005 Cotton Bowl. Smith coached the safeties at Alabama in 2002, where the Crimson Tide team posted a 10-3 regular season record.
Smith was an assistant football coach at Mississippi State for seven years (1995-2001), helping guide the Bulldogs through the greatest period in the school's football history. In 2000, three of his four defensive backfield starters signed professional football contracts. That secondary intercepted 19 passes, the second-most in school history.
Smith has also coached on the collegiate level in Mississippi at Ole Miss (1992-94) and Delta State (1990-91). He began his coaching career on the high school level at Greenwood (Miss.) from 1982-89. By the time he became an assistant at Delta State in 1990, he'd joined the Army Reserves for a stint that would eventually last eight years.
Harbin spent seven seasons at Tuskegee University where he served as defensive line coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator from 2006-12. He helped the Golden Tigers to a pair of conference championships, beginning with a 10-2 record in 2006 before a perfect 12-0 mark in 2007.
He coached two seasons at Georgia Southern, working as the defensive ends coach and special teams coordinator for the Eagles. Harbin was part of a GSU staff that claimed the 2002 Southern Conference championship after posting an 11-3 record before finishing 8-3 in 2003.
A native of Butler, Ala., Harbin earned his first full-time coaching position in 2001 after serving as defensive line coach at Valdosta State. Serving as defensive line coach, Harbin was part of a staff that produced a 12-1 record and the Gulf South Conference championship.
Harbin spent one year (2004) as a Pro Scouting assistant with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, two seasons (1999-2000) as an administrative assistant at Auburn, and was a student assistant at North Alabama where he worked with the team's defensive line that was part of the No. 1-ranked defensive unit in the GSC in 1998.
A former offensive lineman at UNA, Harbin was a member of the Lions' Division II national championship team in 1995. A three-year letterwinner for the Lions, Harbin was part of a team that produced a three-year record of 29-8 with a pair of Division II playoff appearances under head coach Bobby Wallace.
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