Staff Directory
- Title:
- Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Cornerbacks
- Phone:
- 765-285-8251
- Email:
- Alma Mater:
- Northern Illinois '06
- Years at Ball State:
- 1st season in 2025
- Years Coaching:
- 20th season in 2025
A 19-year coaching veteran who has been a defensive secondary coach since 2006, Ray Smith was named Ball State's defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach in December of 2024.
Smith returns to the Mid-American Conference where he was a first-team All-MAC defensive back with Northern Illinois. He also returns to his home state of Indiana where he received his first Division I coaching position.
Most recently, Smith spent the 2024 season at Kennesaw State, following seven years at Southeast Missouri (SEMO).
As the cornerbacks coach at Kennesaw, he helped the Owls transition into the FBS ranks, joining Conference USA in July 2024 and shocking Top 25-ranked Liberty for the program's first FBS victory. He developed a pair of all-conference corners in JeRico Washington Jr., and Tyler Hallum.
While at SEMO, Smith served as the cornerbacks coach from 2017-23 and spent the final three seasons as the Redhawks’ defensive pass game coordinator. In 2022, SEMO used 10 different players including All-American Lawrence Johnson, to tally 11 interceptions. In 2020, Smith's pass defense ranked second in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and eighth in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) with 10 interceptions. In 2018, his second year at SEMO, the Redhawks’ defense led the nation in three different categories: turnover margin, turnovers gained and interceptions.
Prior to SEMO, Smith spent 2015 and 2016 as the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at Division II Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Missouri. In 2016, the Bearcats tallied 14 interceptions and 29 pass break ups. Smith’s first season at Southwest Baptist featured the All-America play of Antion McBee who helped the SBU secondary lead the Great Lakes Valley Conference in interceptions (17) and turnover margin.
After receiving his first Division I coaching opportunity leading cornerbacks at Indiana State in 2011, Smith ventured into the high school ranks from 2012-14, as an assistant coach at Schaumburg High School in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Smith led the Saxons to a Mid-Suburban West Conference championship with an appearance in the Illinois High School Association 7A quarterfinals in 2013.
From 2008-10, Smith coached defensive backs at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois, where Mike Uremovich was the head coach. During his tenure, the Fighting Saints put together two 7-4 seasons, collecting the second-best record in program history at the time.
Smith received his first coaching opportunity at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville from 2006-07. He was responsible for defensive backs, and received a master's of science degree in adult education from UW-Platteville in 2007.
A 2005 team captain and All-MAC honoree, Smith graduated from NIU in 2006 with a bachelor of science in corporate communications. He was a four-year letterwinner in the secondary and played on three MAC West Division championship teams. The Huskies won the Silicon Valley Classic Bowl following the 2004 season.
Other career highlights for Smith include being selected in 2020 for the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship Coaching position with the Cleveland Browns, working with the team during OTAs and training camp. He also spent time during the summer of 2023 as a coaching intern with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, he was an all-state player Lake Central High School in Crown Point, Indiana. Smith is married to his wife Courtney, with daughters Leila, Zoe, Amani and son Raymond III “Tripp”.
