Chuck Smith

LEXINGTON — Kentucky senior linebacker Ronnie Sneed appreciates what linebacker coach Chuck Smith has done for him during his collegiate career. “Chuck Smith is not only a good football coach, but he is a good guy. He cares about you as a football player, but also as a person. He doe his best to explain defense to you and get you in position and he gets guys to the NFL, and that’s what guys are trying to do,” said Sneed. Sneed seemed shocked when told that Smith was a bit more hard-nosed in high school and was a no-nonsense, hard-nosed coach who pushed his players to extreme limits with his practice demands.

Dear Editor: On behalf of my family, we want to say thank you to coach Chuck Smith. We have enjoyed the work you and your boys have done. Boyle County Rebels, we love all of you. I want to say congratulations! You are and will always be champions to us. The love of football and the heart the team displays is so wonderful. We brag on you all of the time. We will miss Chuck and wish him the best, but we still have the heart and pride of our boys. Good luck, Chuck, we love you and will miss you. Barbara Wiechart Danville

LEXINGTON - University of Kentucky recruiting coordinator Chuck Smith says there is a direct correlation between getting high school players to summer camp and early verbal commitments. Kentucky has 13 verbal commitments as it prepares to start preseason practice this week.  “That's the most we have had at this time of year,” said Smith, who is also UK's linebackers coach. “The thing about it is that a lot of the guys that have committed to us are guys who have come to our camp.

Former Kentucky recruiting coordinator Chuck Smith believes adding Neal Brown as offensive coordinator will do more than just help UK's offensive production. Smith understands how important having a recruiting base in Texas could be for UK, and that's something Brown has after spending the last three years as Texas Tech's offensive coordinator. “I think that will be really big,” said Smith, who was Brown's high school coach at Boyle County. “He obviously has a pretty good name in Texas because of the things he did at Texas Tech.

For the last six years, Kentucky has had at least one linebacker named to a postseason all-Southeastern Conference team, an accomplishment that UK¿linebacker Chuck Smith is proud of as he gets set to start his eighth season with the Wildcats. He's seen Wesley Woodyard, Braxton Kelley, Sam Maxwell, Micah Johnson, Danny Trevathan and Winston Guy all earn postseason honors. “We have Wesley playing with the Broncos and so is Danny. Micah is still on the Bengals' roster. Winston was a sixth-round draft pick of Seattle.

Since he coached Neal Brown in high school, former Kentucky linebackers coach Chuck Smith is obviously going to be a bit biased in his opinion about the Texas Tech offensive coordinator. However, he has no doubts that Brown would be a “tremendous hire” for new UK coach Mark Stoops to run the Kentucky offense. “I just think it would be a tremendous hire for them if it happens,” said Smith, who was also UK's recruiting coordinator. “Neal has such a great reputation right now. He is a hot name and has done a wonderful job. His offense has been in the top 15 (nationally)

LEXINGTON - During his first six seasons at Kentucky, linebackers coach Chuck Smith went to five straight bowl games from 2006-2010. However, the last two years UK has won just six of of 21 games and is 1-8 this season after losing Saturday at Missouri. Smith won five straight state championships at Boyle County from 1999-2003 and made six straight state final appearances before he came to UK in 2005. He was named UK's recruiting coordinator in 2009. He shared his thoughts on this season and his players: Question: Considering how much you value winning, how difficult has this season been?

LEXINGTON - Kentucky lost its leading two tacklers - linebackers Danny Trevathan and Winston Guy - off last year's 5-7 team. The Cats also graduated inside linebacker Ronnie Sneed, one of the team's most improved players last season. The Wildcats were counting on senior Ridge Wilson, a returning starter, to anchor the linebackers, but he was dismissed from the team in the offseason after a drug arrest during the offseason. That leaves linebacker coach Chuck Smith and defensive coordinator Rick Minter a major rebuilding job that they have started during spring practice.

Chuck Smith is entering his eighth season as an assistant coach at Kentucky and has had at least one linebacker make the all-Southeastern Conference team the last six years. However, he goes into this season with four new starters and also knowing that expectations for the team are down after consecutive losing season. Smith, who is also UK's recruiting coordinator, admits he “kind of enjoys” the low expectations others have for the Wildcats. “IÃ?¿never let those kind of things bother me when I was a coach at Boyle County or even at Kentucky.

Boyle County will get its second straight chance to stop one of the state's premier players here Friday. Last week the Rebels shut down Fairdale's Maurice Grinter, who has verbally committed to Louisville, in a 48-0 win. Now Boyle (9-2) will get its chance to stop Waggener's Alfonso Smith in a second-round Class AAA playoff game. "Smith is definitely the real deal," Boyle coach Chuck Smith said. "He can flat fly. " The 190-pound running back has numerous Division I scholarship offers.

During his days at Boyle County and Western Kentucky University, Brandon Smith was a quarterback and set numerous records during his prep career. Now he's the defensive coordinator at South Warren High School and has two players - defensive tackle Adrian Middleton and linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe. Middleton has offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Indiana State, Western and Middle Tennessee. Iyiegbuniwe only has an offer from Western so far, but Smith expects more schools to soon offer Iyiegbuniwe.

Former Kentucky recruiting coordinator Chuck Smith believes adding Neal Brown as offensive coordinator will do more than just help UK's offensive production. Smith understands how important having a recruiting base in Texas could be for UK, and that's something Brown has after spending the last three years as Texas Tech's offensive coordinator. “I think that will be really big,” said Smith, who was Brown's high school coach at Boyle County. “He obviously has a pretty good name in Texas because of the things he did at Texas Tech.

Since he coached Neal Brown in high school, former Kentucky linebackers coach Chuck Smith is obviously going to be a bit biased in his opinion about the Texas Tech offensive coordinator. However, he has no doubts that Brown would be a “tremendous hire” for new UK coach Mark Stoops to run the Kentucky offense. “I just think it would be a tremendous hire for them if it happens,” said Smith, who was also UK's recruiting coordinator. “Neal has such a great reputation right now. He is a hot name and has done a wonderful job. His offense has been in the top 15 (nationally)

LEXINGTON - During his first six seasons at Kentucky, linebackers coach Chuck Smith went to five straight bowl games from 2006-2010. However, the last two years UK has won just six of of 21 games and is 1-8 this season after losing Saturday at Missouri. Smith won five straight state championships at Boyle County from 1999-2003 and made six straight state final appearances before he came to UK in 2005. He was named UK's recruiting coordinator in 2009. He shared his thoughts on this season and his players: Question: Considering how much you value winning, how difficult has this season been?

Chuck Smith is entering his eighth season as an assistant coach at Kentucky and has had at least one linebacker make the all-Southeastern Conference team the last six years. However, he goes into this season with four new starters and also knowing that expectations for the team are down after consecutive losing season. Smith, who is also UK's recruiting coordinator, admits he “kind of enjoys” the low expectations others have for the Wildcats. “IÃ?¿never let those kind of things bother me when I was a coach at Boyle County or even at Kentucky.

For the last six years, Kentucky has had at least one linebacker named to a postseason all-Southeastern Conference team, an accomplishment that UK¿linebacker Chuck Smith is proud of as he gets set to start his eighth season with the Wildcats. He's seen Wesley Woodyard, Braxton Kelley, Sam Maxwell, Micah Johnson, Danny Trevathan and Winston Guy all earn postseason honors. “We have Wesley playing with the Broncos and so is Danny. Micah is still on the Bengals' roster. Winston was a sixth-round draft pick of Seattle.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky lost its leading two tacklers - linebackers Danny Trevathan and Winston Guy - off last year's 5-7 team. The Cats also graduated inside linebacker Ronnie Sneed, one of the team's most improved players last season. The Wildcats were counting on senior Ridge Wilson, a returning starter, to anchor the linebackers, but he was dismissed from the team in the offseason after a drug arrest during the offseason. That leaves linebacker coach Chuck Smith and defensive coordinator Rick Minter a major rebuilding job that they have started during spring practice.

LEXINGTON -Once Kentucky beat Tennessee 10-7 Saturday to end a 26-year losing streak to the Vols, UK¿linebackers coach Chuck Smith was as giddy as any player or fan that stormed the field. He smiled as he congratulated and hugged both players and fans. Here's what the former Boyle County coach had to say after the game: Question: How good does it feel to finally get a win over Tennessee? Smith: “It was the craziest, most ridiculous streak and it feels so good to get that off your back.

Kentucky football recruiting coordinator Chuck Smith says 24 players who have given verbal commitments to UK remain “real solid” with the Wildcats despite the team's 2-4 record and four-game losing streak. Smith says in some ways, a recruit might be even more encouraged now to think he could sign with Kentucky¿in February and be in better position to help the team next season. “It depends on how the recruit will look at it. They could look at it like I could come and play earlier than you think.

LEXINGTON - Trey Edwards is thankful he has a spot as a walk-on linebacker on the Kentucky football team, but that opportunity is not what made the former Lincoln County standout transfer from Eastern Kentucky to UK after a redshirt freshman season. “I went through a year of football at Eastern, but I decided about halfway through spring ball I would transfer. Basically my intentions of transferring were to get to a program that was better suited to do what I was going to do with my major and things like that.