Ryan M. Smith begins his first season as the offensive coordinator for head coach Calvin Ruzicka in 2024. Smith brings high school coaching ties from the south along with collegiate head coaching experience to ETBU.
“I am fired up to have Ryan Smith as our new Offensive Coordinator. He is a tremendous man of faith, brings a wealth of coaching experience, proven track record as a winner and developing players. His leadership, family values and ability to build relationships will help us elevate this program. I am excited to have Ryan and his family join the ETBU family,” says ETBU head football coach Calvin Ruzicka.
Smith’s coaching experiences range from the head coach at Southwestern Assemblies of God (NAIA) and Newton High School (MS) to an offensive coordinator in the highest division in Mississippi (7A) and at 5A Midlothian Heritage High School (TX). For the past 18 years, Smith has coached from the junior varsity level to college molding and shaping his offensive schemes.
“My family and I are extremely excited to join the ETBU Football Program and help Coach Ruzicka build a championship culture. I believe in higher level Christian Education and I am extremely excited about the opportunity to utilize my faith in helping build Godly men. Our offense will be an exciting brand that utilizes all players and allows our guys to be successful,” says Smith.
Smith was the offensive coordinator for Midlothian Heritage High School in 2022 helping them to an 11-2 record and the Texas State 5A Playoffs. Heritage went 7-0 in district play making it to the third round of the playoffs. They fell to South Oak Cliff, 33-27, in overtime, who went on to win the 5A Division II State Championship. Smith’s 2022 offense averaged 315 yards and 38.1 points per game scoring 67 touchdowns.
Smith became the head at Southwestern Assemblies of God in Waxahachie, Texas, in April 2018. In four years, SAGU had their first-ever back-to-back winning seasons in 2020 at 4-3 and 2021 at 9-3. The 2021 season was the best in program history as they won the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) Victory Bowl. That season saw SAGU average 460 yards of offense and 40.7 points per game. Because of the 2021 season success, he was named the head coach for the NAIA West Senior Showcase game.
Prior to heading back to Texas, Smith was the head coach at Newton High School in Newton, Miss. Newton went to back-to-back Mississippi State 5A playoffs in both seasons going 7-4 in 2016 and 6-5 in 2017. The 2017 team averaged 32.4 points per game and almost 400 yards of offense. The 2016 season brought him the Area “Coach of the Year” award.
His other assistant coaching stops in Texas have been at Palmer ISD and Irving Nimitz while also coaching in Mississippi at Noxapater High School (Louisville), Newton County Schools (Decatur), and Oak Grove High School (Hattiesburg). He has also coached four players that have went on to play at the next level in CJ Collins (DC Defenders), Jamoral Graham (Mississippi State), Jeremy Carr (Carolina Energy), and Jordan Barlow (Liepzig Kings).
Outside of coaching, Smith has a heart for ministry and helping others. From 2017-18, he was the lead pastor for Calvary Baptist Church in Newton, Miss. He also was a youth pastor in 2009 and a home group leader in 2002-2003. This past year, he was the Athletic Director at Ovilla Christian School in Ovilla, Texas.
Smith was a four-year starter at quarterback for SAGU from 2001-04 being a Preseason NAIA All-American in 2004. He graduated from there in 2005 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Studies and in 2019 with a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership.
He is married to Kristi Smith and they have four children in Kailee, Kaden, Kye, and Kollins.
