Jabo Smith joins the Norfolk State coaching staff ahead of the 2025 season as the Spartans’ defensive backs coach.
Smith comes to NSU from Florida Memorial, where he most-recently served as the co-defensive coordinator alongside Norfolk State defensive coordinator Terence Garvin. Under the pair’s leadership, the Lions played an aggressive style of football, and it paid off – FMU forced a SUN-conference best 13 fumbles in 2024. The Lions intercepted 13 passes as well, ranking second in the league.
Coaching the defensive backs at Florida Memorial, Smith mentored and developed Marcell Blocker into the 2024 SUN Conference Defensive Back of the Year award winner. Blocker finished the season with 13 tackles, three interceptions, and six pass breakups.
Smith previously spent two seasons at Ave Maria University, starting off as the cornerbacks coach and defensive passing game coordinator in 2021 and transitioning to full secondary duties in 2022. During his time as cornerbacks coach his starting corners combined allowed only 11 catches in man coverage.
Smith started his coaching career as the defensive backs coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. Within his first season, Smith took the team’s pass defense (previously ranked second to last) to the top ranking in the conference, completing the season as SWJCFC champions.
A four-year starter at Youngstown State, Smith earned all-conference accolades during his playing career. He was a key contributor in the Penguins’ playoff run in 2016, advancing to the FCS National Championship game.
Smith graduated from Youngstown State in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.
