Chad Smith is one of the few Tigers on the 2019 roster who has seen the transformation of the past five years all the way through. He saw his team go from one national championship to three. From redshirt to special teams to defensive starter, his journey has not been easy, but it has been worth it.
A key special teams contributor early in his career, Chad Smith earned a starting role as a fifth-year senior. He completed his career in 2019 credited with 154 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, an interception, a pass breakup, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 863 snaps over 58 games (14 starts) in his career.
The fifth-year linebacker from Sterling, Va. decided on Clemson after seeing the culture that was being built. The emphasis on personal development and character made it the obvious choice.
“The culture that they were building here was different. It was so special. It’s family-centered. They are developing you to be the best player you can be while developing you to be the best man you can be. That is what separated Clemson and this whole program from all the others.”
Smith came to Clemson before the two most-recent national titles, five consecutive CFP appearances and five ACC championships. He has the unique experience of seeing the team’s culture change from 2015 to now.
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“It’s incredible to be a part of our success,” said Smith, one of four Tigers on the 2019 team who was a member of the 2015 squad. “Players come here and buy into what the coaches teach. Everyone recognizes the intangibles needed to be a successful player and create a successful program.”
Smith saw that something special was about to happen here, and he knew he could play a role in that. However, that role would change throughout his time. Smith redshirted his freshman year. He then became a key contributor on special teams the next three seasons, also serving as a backup linebacker. Smith used this waiting period to grow stronger, both mentally and physically.
“It had its challenges, but I accepted my role. I like to think of myself as a team-first guy. I learned to accept my role, do it to the best of my ability and be patient. I knew my time was going to come.”
Smith summed up this challenging journey in one word…persistence. He worked hard, trusted the process and harnessed every opportunity given to him while he patiently waited his turn. Through it all, the tenacious Tiger firmly believed that God had a plan for him. Smith knew his time would come…and it did.
He distinctly recalled a conversation with B.J. Goodson during his freshman year. Goodson, who currently plays for the Green Bay Packers, also redshirted and played his fifth year at Clemson in 2015.
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“I asked him, ‘B.J., how did you make it to five years? Time is going by so slowly. This is tough.’ He told me, ‘Don’t worry about it. Before you know it, you’ll wake up and be in my shoes.’ Lo and behold, I blinked my eyes, and here I am.”
In his final season, Smith is now a defensive starter. He started the year strong and is taking full advantage of his opportunity. He had his first career interception against Florida State and had a hand in the game-winning stop of the two-point conversion attempt at North Carolina. He later earned Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP honors in Clemson’s 29-23 win over No. 2 Ohio State. Through it all, he remains humble yet confident in his abilities.
“I knew I was capable of performing very well. I owe that to my teammates and coaches for trusting me and helping me prepare each and every week. I go out, let loose and play strong within the confines of the defense. I’m executing, doing my job and letting everything else fall into place.”
After losing veteran leaders on defense from the 2018 squad, Smith has also stepped up in the locker room.
“The leadership on this team is really strong, but it’s a lot different than last year. We are a lot younger, but we have great leadership across the board. It’s great to see all the guys come together and lead these young players.”
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Smith has been able to do it all alongside his best friend, roommate and fellow linebacker James Skalski. Together, they lead the defense and push each other to be the best they can be, both on and off the gridiron.
“We’re ultra-competitive and click really well. We motivate each other to go out every week and succeed on the field, in the weight room…wherever we are. We keep each other accountable.”
He credited P.A.W. Journey for most of his growth as a man the past five years. He is an ambassador for the leadership initiative, which emphasizes personal growth, life skills and professional development.
“They’ve helped develop qualities in me on and off the field that come out in my daily life. Whether it’s going to class, working out with the team or in a game, I’m trying to be the best version of myself. They’ve helped me reach out and network with people outside of football.”
Smith believes he is prepared for his future after this year, but that is not where his focus is. Right now, he is trying to soak up these last few months the best he can.
“I want to be great where my feet are. That’s where my attention and focus are. I want to maximize this opportunity that I have and these last few months that I have to be a part of this program. I want to be the best that I can be and help this team be the best it can be.”
After waiting his turn for four years, Smith is maximizing this opportunity that he has. He is leaving his mark on this team and leading it to be the best it can be. His patience and persistence have paid off.
Smith is showing everyone that the wait was worth it.
Key Statistics and Moments
- 2019 Season: 80 tackles (5.0 for loss), 3.5 sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 583 snaps across 15 games (14 starts).
- Fiesta Bowl: Named Defensive MVP after posting 12 tackles (0.5 for loss) vs. No. 2 Ohio State.
- Career Stats: 154 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, an interception, a pass breakup, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 863 snaps over 58 games (14 starts).
Smith, who hadn't made a college start before this season, will be heavily counted on when No. 3 Clemson (14-0; No. 3 CFP) faces No. 1 LSU (14-0; No. 1 CFP) for the College Football Playoff championship Monday night.
Smith has blossomed into one of Clemson's most consistent players in the team's bid for a third national crown in four seasons. He's third on the Tigers in tackles, and tied for third in sacks and quarterback pressures.
Smith was named defensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl for his career-high 12 tackles in Clemson's 29-23 CFP semifinal win over Ohio State on Dec. 28.
“It would've been so easy for him to just kind of give up and move on," said Clemson's longtime strength coach Joey Batson. "But he's just been a solid, stabilizing force on our football team."
Smith's mindset in large part comes from his upbringing. His father is a retired Air Force colonel who works at the Pentagon. Both his grandfathers served in World War II and his brother and sister are currently in the Air Force.
"I consider myself a very loyal guy," said Smith, from Sterling, Virginia.
And one of the most detail oriented players Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has ever had. Swinney recalled when Smith needed to go to a family wedding days before the Tigers played Florida State in 2017.
Smith earned an undergraduate and Master's degrees in communication. He took part in micro-internships (work experiences with limited hours to fit into Smith's football workload) with RaceTrac Petroleum in 2018 and with General Electric last year.
Smith would love to play professional football, but has other goals beyond that.
"I don't know exactly what those are, but I knew Clemson could help facilitate a path to finding a passion outside of football," he said.
Win or lose against LSU, Smith is grateful for the people and experiences that drove him to bigger things that looked for quite a while might never come.
"Putting so much hard work and sticking with it through the highs and lows to see it come to fruition, it's special," Smith said.
Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith and the Michigan Marching Band perform "Can't Stop"
Statistical Overview
The 2017 defense played less snaps overall, thanks to a more ball control oriented offense, and Brent Venables seemed more willing than ever to roll his backups into the game this year. Injuries had a little to do with this as well, especially in the case of Tre Lamar who missed the last four games after suffering what must have been one of the worst stingers in history vs. FSU.
I’ve included the statistics for the group through 13 games. The official Clemson statistics have not added the Sugar Bowl numbers to this. Linebacker Stats:
| Player | Snaps | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | PBU | Int |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorian O'Daniel | 654 | 99 | 10.5 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Kendall Joseph | 612 | 80 | 4 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 |
| Tre Lamar | 331 | 52 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| J.D. Davis | 285 | 48 | 3.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Williams | 191 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| James Skalski | 148 | 34 | 2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Chad Smith | 126 | 19 | 3 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Shaq Smith | 73 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Judah Davis | 54 | 13 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Individual Season Highlights
2019
Credited with 80 tackles (5.0 for loss), 3.5 sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 583 snaps across 15 games (14 starts). All-ACC Academic selection. NFF Hampshire Honor Society member. Posted seven tackles (one for loss) and a forced fumble vs. Georgia Tech. Added five tackles vs. No. 12 Texas A&M. Notched nine tackles including a sack at Syracuse. Contributed two tackles vs. Charlotte. Posted five tackles and contributed to the game-winning stop on a two-point conversion attempt at North Carolina. Notched two tackles and his first career interception vs. Florida State. Recorded seven tackles including a nine-yard sack at Louisville. Shared team defensive player of the game honors after leading Clemson with nine tackles vs. Boston College, including a sack in which he forced a fumble that Logan Rudolph returned 39 yards for a touchdown. Led team with seven tackles at NC State and returned a fumble inside the Wolfpack 5 to set up a Clemson touchdown. Added two tackles vs. Wake Forest. Notched six tackles at South Carolina. Recorded seven tackles (0.5 for loss) vs. No. 22 Virginia in the ACC Championship Game. Named Defensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl after posting 12 tackles (0.5 for loss) vs. No. 2 Ohio State.
2018
Credited with 35 tackles (2.0 for loss), 1.0 sack and a fumble recovery in 127 snaps over 15 games. Made one tackle in season opener vs. Furman. Recorded two tackles each in wins against Texas A&M, Georgia Southern, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. Contributed four tackles, including one for loss, at Florida State. Posted five tackles including a sack vs. Louisville. Added three tackles vs. Duke. Contributed four tackles vs. South Carolina. Registered five tackles and a fumble recovery against Pitt. Added a tackle vs. No. 1 Alabama in the National Championship Game.
2017
Had 20 tackles, three tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, three quarterback pressures, a pass breakup and caused fumble in 133 snaps over 13 games. Had five tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss in 13 snaps against Kent State on Sept. 2. Had two tackles and a tackle for loss in 13 snaps against No. 13 Auburn on Sept. 9. Had a tackle and 0.5 sacks in 15 snaps at No. 14 Louisville on Sept. 16. Had a tackle for loss in 11 snaps at No. 12 Virginia Tech on Sept. 30. Had two special teams tackles and a caused fumble against Georgia Tech on Oct. 28; named team co-special teams player-of-the-game. Had three tackles and a pass breakup in 39 snaps against Florida State on Nov. 11. Had three tackles in 12 snaps against No. 7 Miami (Fla.) in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 2; named team co-special teams player-of-the-game.
2016
Shared defensive special teams player of the year honors with Tanner Muse. Produced 19 tackles in 20 snaps over 13 games. Matched Muse with a team-high 10 tackles on special teams. Had three tackles against SC State, including one on special teams. Named special teams player of the game at Georgia Tech after recovering a fumbled punt return. Had three tackles, including two on special teams, in win over No.
Recruitment and Personal Life
No. 56 player and No. 6 linebacker in the nation and No. 2 player in Virginia by Rivals.com. No. 179 player and No. 14 linebacker in the nation and No. 9 player in Virginia by 247Sports.com. Top-300 player and No. 19 linebacker in the nation and No. 10 player in Virginia by ESPN. Participated in The Opening, where he was rated as the No. 3 athlete after competition with the other 161 players. Played linebacker, safety, tight end and wide receiver. Had 90 tackles (15 for loss) as a senior. Had 118 yards on 19 carries, 24 receptions for 44 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior. Had 72 tackles (13 for loss), six sacks, five interceptions and three blocked field goals as a junior. Added 757 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Two-time all-state, all-region and all-conference selection. Coached by Karl Buckwalter. Recruited by Brent Venables.
Graduated in August 2018 with a degree in sports communication and added a Master’s in communication, technology and society in December 2019. Three-time ACC Honor Roll selection. Completed microinternships with RaceTrac in 2018 and G.E. in 2019. Comes from a family with extensive military ties and was selected to run the American flag down the hill for Clemson prior to its 2019 Military Appreciation Day game. Born April 16, 1996.
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