Nick Smith

Nick Smith is in his third season on the Nebraska coaching staff and second year as a graduate assistant. Smith spent six years on the Abilene Christian coaching staff before coming to Nebraska.

Smith will serve as a defensive graduate assistant in 2018 after spending his first two seasons in Lincoln working with the special teams. In his first year in 2016, Smith played a role in the success of place-kicker Drew Brown, who connected on 12-of-14 field goals and all 38 of his extra-point tries. Brown again made 12-of-14 field goals in 2017 while hitting all 37 of his extra-point attempts. In the return game, JD Spielman led all Big Ten players in 2017 with 669 kickoff return yards. Punter Caleb Lightbourn also excelled in 2017, improving his punting average by 2.9 yards from his freshman season. As a team, Nebraska's net punting average improved by 5.3 yards in 2017.

Previously, Smith served as Abilene Christian's cornerbacks coach for three seasons after being the Wildcats' defensive student assistant/equipment manager/assistant video coordinator for the previous three years. As cornerbacks coach, Smith's unit totaled 12 interceptions.

Smith also helped coach ACU’s special teams and served as an area and position recruiter for the Wildcats. Smith recruited and coached freshman of the year and first-team all-conference cornerback Jabari Butler out of Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, Nev.).

Smith also has basketball coaching experience, as he served as an assistant coach for Abilene Christian High School’s varsity team from 2011 to 2013, helping the team to the 2012 state title. Smith earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Abilene Christian in 2012 and graduated from Holdrege (Neb.) High School in 2008.

Smith is married to Desiree Feria.