{"id":19569,"date":"2024-11-29T06:25:33","date_gmt":"2024-11-29T06:25:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=19569"},"modified":"2024-11-29T06:25:33","modified_gmt":"2024-11-29T06:25:33","slug":"steelers-oc-arthur-smith-receives-interest-for-north-carolina-hc-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=19569","title":{"rendered":"Steelers OC Arthur Smith Receives Interest For North Carolina HC Job"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

North Carolina recently fired head coach Mack Brown, and the school\u2019s process of finding his replacement is underway. Steelers offensive coordinator\u00a0Arthur Smith\u00a0<\/strong>received a call about the vacant position. \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cReality is [UNC] reached out on [a] preliminary call,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Smith said (via ESPN\u2019s Brooke Pryor<\/a>).\u00a0\u201cI appreciate it, love that place. But that\u2019s not my focus. I mean I\u2019ve got one of the best jobs in football right now. There\u2019s a lot to be said too about [how you] can\u2019t put a price on personal and professional happiness, which I have here.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Smith spent his college career at UNC as a player (2001-05) and worked as a graduate assistant there to begin his coaching tenure. His experience leading a staff at the NFL level \u2013 with the Falcons between 2021 and \u201923 \u2013 coupled with his connections to the school make him a logical candidate to replace Brown. As Smith noted, however, his focus is not currently on taking the next available head coaching gig.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got an awesome job here,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>the 42-year-old added.\u00a0\u201c[I] probably [have] a different mindset than I had five, four years ago where any head job, I probably would\u2019ve walked there to take it. Now my perspective\u2019s different, and when you got something good like I got here in Pittsburgh right now, family loves it here. I like the working environment, love being a Steeler.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

In a rare move given their organizational history, the Steelers made an in-season offensive coordinator change last year with Matt Canada\u00a0<\/strong>being dismissed. Smith was brought in as his full-time replacement after drawing interest from the Jets. New York\u2019s offer came with an uncertain role working alongside then-OC\u00a0Nathaniel Hackett<\/strong>, though, and his preference was to take the Steelers gig<\/a>. So far, that position has included time with both Justin Fields<\/a> <\/strong>and Russell Wilson<\/a> <\/strong>at quarterback.<\/p>\n

Once Wilson recovered from his calf injury, he took over QB1 duties. That move has not led to a major uptick in passing efficiency of red zone success, but Pittsburgh leads the league in time of possession. The team also has the eighth-ranked rushing attack, something which comes as no surprise given Smith\u2019s background and his success in that regard during his Titans OC stint.<\/p>\n

Smith\u2019s future beyond the current season is of course in the air given the opportunities which may present themselves to him during the winter. Offers aside from the UNC one may come in, but for now he appears to be content in his current role.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n