After coaching Nussmeier for four seasons at Idaho, where the southpaw set several school and FCS marks on his way to capturing the Walter Payton Award in 1993, Smith would later hire Nussmeier as quarterbacks coach at Michigan State. While at MSU from 2003-2005, Nussmeier served on a staff that included future UA assistants Jim McElwain and Jeff Stoutland.
TRips recently caught up with Smith, who, after spending the past three years on Bobby Petrino's staff at Arkansas, is settling in as head coach at his alma mater, Weber State. During our conversation, we touched on a variety of topics, including
Smith's role as a mentor during Nussmeier's candidacy to replace McElwain at Alabama.
"We've been very close for a long time and I thought it was a sign of respect that he asked me what I thought about the opportunity (at Alabama)," Smith said. "I tried to lay out all the positives and negatives of (Alabama and Washington). We talked about it and he made the decision to go to Alabama."
