Former Seattle Seahawks running back Sherman Smith is in his 12th year as the Titans' running backs coach. This past season, Smith added the title of Assistant Head Coach to his title.

Smith will guide a group of talented runners that all feature unique styles, from the slashing runner in Chris Brown, to the dynamo work horse in Travis Henry, to the young, but talented runner in rookie draft pick LenDale White. In two seasons as a starter, Chris Brown has accounted for 1,918 rushing yards (4.3 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns. In Brown’s first season as a starter (2004), he led the NFL in average per carry (4.9) and ranked second in rushing yards per game with 97. Travis Henry struggled with injuries in his first season with the Titans last year, but he returns healthy and brings with him 4,000 career rushing yards of experience. White will learn how to be a complete workhorse back by the coach who molded Eddie George into that role in 1996.

Between 1996 and 2003, Smith helped Eddie George evolve into one of the all-time great running backs in NFL history and the all-time leading rusher in Titans/Oilers history. In 2003, George became only the 17th running back in NFL history to reach 10,000 career-rushing yards and only the second to reach the mark without missing a game (Jim Brown). His rushing total of 10,009 yards in his first eight NFL seasons ranked seventh on the NFL’s all-time list behind Eric Dickerson, Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Jim Brown and Curtis Martin.

A former standout during his collegiate career at Miami (Ohio) University, Smith coached the running backs at his alma mater for two seasons (1990-91) before moving to Illinois. With the Illini, Smith served as tight ends coach from 1992-93 and added running backs coach to his title in 1994.

After joining the Seahawks as a second-round draft choice in 1976, Smith went on to play nine years in the NFL. Smith led a fledgling Seahawk team in rushing in each of his first four seasons, finishing his Seattle tenure with 3,429 yards and 28 touchdowns on 810 attempts, as well as 210 receptions for 2,445 yards with 10 touchdowns. Smith left Seattle among the all-time rushers in Seahawks history before closing out his NFL playing career with the San Diego Chargers from 1983-84.

As a quarterback at Miami (Ohio), Smith led the Redhawks to the Mid-American Conference crown in his final three seasons while compiling a 33-1-1 record.

In 1985, Smith began teaching in the Northwest where he coached (basketball and track) and taught at Redmond Junior High and coached football at Redmond High School before returning to the college level as a coach in 1990.

A native of Youngstown, Ohio (11/1/54), he and his wife, Sharon, have a two grown children: daughter, Shavonne, who is an elementary school teacher in Nashville, and a son, Sherman, who graduated with an engineering degree from Miami (Ohio) and currently works in Rockford, Ill.