The fifth-year senior — who is slated to start at free safety this season — has silently guided his teammates since making five starts as a redshirt freshman. But as the only senior likely to see action in the secondary during UNC’s season opener against South Carolina, Smiley accepts his role.
“I’m a quiet guy; I like to stay to myself,” he said. “(But) I’m the leader on the field. I let Des Lawrence lead off the field.”
But Lawrence, a junior cornerback, knows Smiley’s impact carries the greatest weight within the locker room.
“That’s the big dog right there,” Lawrence said. “If he has something to say, everybody listens.”
Smiley hasn’t shied away from leading vocally this offseason, holding fellow players accountable in practice for missed assignments and simple mistakes. And according to new defensive backs coach Charlton Warren, the senior safety’s mastery of the new playbook has granted him an “old man wisdom” to direct his teammates.
“He expects them to do their job,” Warren said. “So when a route gets dropped or a coverage gets busted, he can point right to the guy. And he can do it because he knows everybody’s job.”
Smiley is certainly no slouch at his own position. The free safety played in all 13 games in 2014, finishing sixth on the team in tackles and tied for sixth in pass breakups. And despite a constantly evolving secondary rotation, Warren has been impressed with Smiley’s play heading into the season.
“He’s going to put his pads on you, but his foot quickness is good enough to get tricky guys like (wide receiver Ryan) Switzer down in space,” Warren said. “That’s sort of your barometer; if you can tackle a guy like that in space with no help, you feel good about your ability.”
