FLOWERY BRANCH (Ga.) – Arthur Smith, age 9, started playing football when he was nine years old. He woke up game-days to find his parents in their room with full pads. It was all he loved: the camaraderie, teamwork, and contact as an offensive lineman.
The Atlanta Falcons The plays were also fascinating to coach, right from their creation to their implementation.
Smith was raised in the video-game generation and became addicted to Madden and NCAA football. A particular favorite was the Bill Walsh College Football game, which was an early precursor to NCAA.
Smith fell in love, almost instantly, with the idea of designing and calling plays after playing on the fields.
Smith stated, “I have always had ideas in my head.” “Even in high school. Although I didn’t have a great notebook or something like that, my mind was pretty open to the idea.
Smith, now 40, was inspired by his curiosity to run an NFL offense for the fourth time. He learned from mentors on both the defensive and offensive sides of the ball. He is known for his innovative offensive game plans and approach. Derrick Henry Jump pass during the 2019 playoffs, when he was the Tennessee Titans Coordinator – Smith got the Falcons job.
DERRICK HENRY JUST THREWED THE PERFECT JOUMP PASS.
He can do anything!! #Titans #NFLPlayoffs @KingHenry_2
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Mobile: Watch for free https://t.co/81PYwJcw9t pic.twitter.com/9paFSVZqq6— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2020
Dave Ragone, Falcons offensive coordinator said, “He’s strong, convicted, and clear in all he does.” His ability to anticipate the next play and why he does what he does on that play to set up the next one is not surprising.
Ragone witnessed this last season at the ends, when Smith sometimes abandoned a traditional three receiver look to find other personnel packages. This was especially evident against Miami on the final drive. Smith had three tight end on the field for one play, followed by two backs and three tight end for the second. Both of these resulted in tight completions. Kyle Pitts.
Smith’s journey to playcaller and play designer began years ago, as a North Carolina offensive guard looking for his next step in football.
GARY TRANCILL TOOK chances. The Tar Heels offensive coach had been a college football coach for more than four decades. Tranquill was open to new designs and playcalls by the time Smith became his offensive lineman in the mid 2000s.
Tranquill worked under legendary coaches like Bill Edwards of Vanderbilt, Western Reserve, George Welsh, Navy, Virginia, Nick Saban, and Bill Belichick. Tranquill was able to tell when a player grasped deeper concepts. Smith’s practice proved that he understood it. They didn’t need to talk much about playdesign or playcalling. Smith could learn by listening. Tranquill was aware that some aspects of the tasks he was trying run were complex but he preferred simplicity to explain.
Tranquill stated, “If they don’t understand what the heck they’re doing,” They won’t do it.
The early 2000s saw college football change with spread offenses catering for quarterbacks with fast legs and big arms. Smith was intrigued by Tranquill’s innovative packaging of plays in the run-game.
Smith was able to see how Tranquill tried different formations and groupings of personnel. Smith often shows Smith’s designs with his pre-snap movement as he dipped into spread structures.
Smith stated, “I had a real admiration of him and the manner his mind worked and it clicked all the things that I had been interested in within the game football.” “Not playing, but strategy.
“So regardless of whether he meant to or not, Tranq had an impact on me.”
Smith was already thinking about his own strategies by the time he finished college. He wanted to coach.
A ONE-THING THAT IS PERFECT Tranquill and Smith were able to help with offense by spending more time with defense. Tranquill was an offensive coach and he rose to the position of coordinator at West Virginia.
Smith spent four years in defense. He was in entry-level positions at Ole Mississippi College and Washington, as well as in Tennessee in the NFL. Smith realized in those four years that there was much more to learn, and he also worked as a graduate assistant at UNC.
He was able to see how Gregg Williams and Greg Blache, the Washington defensive coordinators, planned. It gave him a different perspective, helped him to see the potential defenses, and in theory how to counter them.
Smith, the new offensive coordinator in Tennessee, recalled what Blache did for Williams when he was taking over. Blache did not have to modify his language. It was all about making sure that players were not affected first. Smith handled Matt LaFleur’s departure to Green Bay as Green Bay’s head coaches the same way.
Blache’s organizational skills, practicality, and his ability to break down games are what Smith remembers. Blache’s organization, practicality and how he broke down games stayed with Smith. It was also his ability to “keep it the main point” and keep focus on what really matters. Smith was influenced by the NFL’s Washington defensive coaches.
Smith’s talk on playcalls and today’s play design reveals the defensive experience.
Smith stated, “If there are things that appear that defenses want to play for us,” Smith added. It’s just that I don’t give enough credit to the games within the NFL.
ARTHUR SMITH HAD After being with the Titans for three years, Ken Whisenhunt appointed Mike Mularkey as his tight ends coach. Smith, who was previously a quality control coach, was appointed assistant tight ends coach.
Smith was adept at computers and cutups. Smith still considers himself a “big One Note guy” today. Smith knew Mularkey’s playcalling style and design history in Pittsburgh from 2001 to ‘20003 as well as in Atlanta. Matt RyanBetween 2008 and 2011.
Mularkey stated that “He was so fascinated by it.” He just kept looking.”
Mularkey became a mentor. Smith learned from him how to coach his players and how to get the best out of them. He showed him a different organization. Smith believed Tranquill could use Mularkey’s creativity to combine his play packaging.
Smith was appointed tight ends coach when Mularkey became Tennessee’s offensive coordinator. Smith was responsible for goal-line plays and short-yardage under Mularkey. He also presented ideas to Mularkey. Smith’s philosophy was formed by those meetings and Mularkey’s observation.
Smith said, “Whether or not I agreed with Mike, I was intrigued with the way that he saw it.” “And there are some principles, some things that Mike showed, but you’re your guy, but he had huge impact on my life.”
Mularkey and Smith are big believers in trying new things. Mularkey was in Pittsburgh when Antwaan Rudle-El, a former quarterback from Indiana, and Hines Marshall, a receiver who also played some quarterback at Georgia, were his receivers. Ward was 33-of-33 for 286 yards, 12 touchdowns and his best rushing season under Mularkey. Randle El was 34-of-209 yards rushing and Randle El was 10-of-12 passing under Mularkey.
Two mobile quarterbacks may be available for the Falcons. Marcus Mariota And Desmond RidderFormer quarterback, playing tight endFeleipe Franks), an option college quarterback at receiver (Jared Bernhardt) and a former receiver playing running back (Cordarrelle Patterson).
Mularkey claimed that he was a coach for Pittsburgh and had 10 2-point conversions. There were nine of them that involved trickery. Mularkey never hesitated to call them. Smith is not.
Mularkey stated, “I even look at myself and I can’t believe, first of course, the play design but also the courage to call those plays under that circumstance.” “But Arthur, he’s someone I have seen. He was my neighbor in Tennessee. He did some final plays of games. the gadgetry of itIt takes nerve to call it and win it.
Smith was a 2019 coordinator under Mike Vrabel and had a clear idea of his plan. It wasn’t possible to implement it immediately. However, Smith was given an in-house promotion that gave him an idea about the resources he had. He then began slowly changing game designs and concepts. Vrabel was a defensive guy and offered new thinking processes.
Smith did not need to rebuild the offense. He just needed to tweak what was already there. Because of COVID, everything moved to Zoom. Smith was too busy watching films to have time to experiment with design and ideas.
Both Smith’s Tennessee seasons were scored by the Titans, and they were among the top 10. They had the No. They had the No. 3 rushing offense in 2019, and the No. 2 rushing offense for 2020, with Henry as a 2,000-yard rusher in 2020.
It resulted in head-coaching interviews that led to the job at Atlanta. Ryan was Smith’s assistant, and was familiar with many of Mularkey’s concepts.
This would be a different story. Smith would have his offense from the first implementation.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT Deception is possible through-lines between Smith and Mularkey. Mularkey liked to have players in the huddle to allow for multiple personnel groups to keep defenses guessing.
To keep his players confused and to reduce their reaction time when calling a defense, he would shift them in and out during timeouts. Smith often spoke of positional flexibility and the importance of playing position-less football. This type of deception is more common the more players they have.
Smith can be more creative in his play creation. He might use distractions to make a play or use multiple players in a single spot, as he did last year with Patterson and Pitts. Both were able to line up in a variety of formations. Pitts took 42% snaps close to the end, 29% wide and 28% in slot. He also had one snap in backfield. He was more comfortable on the right side than on the left. Patterson took 63% snaps in the backfield. 22% were out wide and 11% were in the slot. 4% were in tight end positions. Two snaps at safety are free. One snap at quarterback is an incomplete pass. Patterson was more evenly distributed in the left and right of the formations when he wasn’t in them.
Smith also attempts to use motion as leverage in a defense.
Smith did not want to give too much information about specific play designs as he believed he might return to a play or idea he ran previously. Smith’s thought process is focused on evolution and pushing the boundaries.
“I don’t want people to think, ‘Oh, he ran that play in 2019 from this set. Smith stated, “I know that this is coming back,” This is the part I like about it. You have to be attentive as you watch from a distance.
“There’s a fine balance between being too cute, and looking for the perfect play, perfect chance.
Last season allowed him to focus on his goals and shift the roster. He could not use all the features of One Note. Last year, he preferred integration to full-on implementation.
Smith doesn’t know how many plays Smith designs in one season. Many plays never make it to the final cuts. Smith was taught by Tranquill and Mularkey that it’s okay to take risks, as long as he remains consistent in his decision-making.
It was his decisions that led to him beating his brothers in NCAA, Madden and eventually becoming frustrated with a friend who played with the Falcons and an unstoppable Michael Vick. Smith, in some football foreshadowing used the Titans running back Eddie George nearly every play while learning basic skills. It went on with the packaging and psychology of plays in North Carolina, Washington, and Tennessee.
Smith stated, “I don’t mind trying things that are unconventional and I have to be open to receiving criticism.” It’s not going to work and it will look bad. You can’t let that stop you from trying it.
“Because eventually it happens, sometimes, when you believe that you can do it, it’s like, “Let’s keep at it.”