Assistant Coach | WR
Sacramento State ‘05
2020: 2nd Season at SUU
At the start of the 2020 campaign, Kenan Smith will be in his second season at Southern Utah University, coaching the program’s wide receivers.
Ahead of the 2019 campaign, Smith was brought on to coach the program’s outside wide receivers. Smith inherited a young core composed of one senior, three juniors, two sophomores and seven freshmen. As a true freshman he coached John Mitchell to 20 catches, 264 yards and two touchdowns. Before suffering a season ending injury, true freshman Zach Nelson had 13 catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Also playing a lot of snaps as a true freshman, Dallin Brown caught 17 passes for 169 yards and one touchdown.
Smith came to the Thunderbirds from the Los Angeles Rams, where he served in a number of positions from 2014-17. While with the Rams, he spent time as the team’s Assistant Wide Receivers Coach, where he coached the likes of Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin and Brian Quick. While in Los Angeles, he also spent time as the team’s Interim Tight Ends Coach, as well as an Offensive Assistant.
Before making the jump to the National Football League, Smith served as an Assistant Coach at Butler University, coaching wide receivers for the Bulldogs. During that time, the Bulldogs won back-to-back Pioneer Football League Championships in 2012 and 2013.
Smith’s experience in collegiate athletics isn’t just in coaching, as he spent three years working as an Assistant Director of Marketing & Promotions at the University of Michigan from 2006-09.
He attended Sacramento State University, where he competed for both the football and track & field programs.
On the gridiron, he was a three-year starter and a team captain in 2003. Following the 2003 season, he was an All-Big Sky Conference selection and finished in the top-10 in terms of career receptions in the Hornet Record book.
On the track, he was a team captain in 2002 and earned a Bronze Medal as part of the 4x400-meter relay team.
Smith earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Sacramento State in 2005, and is currently working on a Master’s Degree from Anderson University.
