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Lovie Smith is among the NFL coaches who have experience as a head coach at both the collegiate and professional levels.
The former Illinois leader and current Houston Texans head coach recently revealed how the college game helped him prepare for the NFL.
“Seeing how the mobile quarterback is used, I think that has helped me,” he said, per Mike Klis. “There’s a lot more offensively that’s being done in college than the NFL just because you have to protect the quarterback more in the NFL.”
Smith has jumped back and fourth between the college and NFL games. After head coaching stints with the Bears and Buccaneers, he took over the Illinois program in 2016 — leading the Illini through the 2020 season. He collected a 17-39 overall record through five seasons.
Smith, 64, was promoted to his head coaching position with the Texans after serving as defensive coordinator in 2021. In his first game this past weekend, he led his team to a Week 1 tie with the Indianapolis Colts.
The Texans will face off against the Denver Broncos in Week 2.