Arkansas hires Robb Smith as defensive coordinator

Published Feb. 8, 2014 6:19 p.m. ET

foxsports

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) Arkansas hired former NFL assistant coach Robb Smith as defensive coordinator Saturday.

Smith spent the past season as linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spent the previous 14 years as a college assistant, including defensive coordinator at Rutgers and at Maine as assistant head coach.

He succeeds Chris Ash at Arkansas. Ash left last month for Ohio State, where he will be co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.