The Kentucky Wildcats are making a notable move in their football program, zeroing in on Kolby Smith to take over as their new running backs coach. Smith, a former NFL back and Louisville standout, is expected to join the Wildcats after spending the last two seasons guiding the Arkansas Razorbacks’ ground game.
Smith’s résumé speaks for itself. As a player, he carved out a solid college career at Louisville, racking up more than 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns over four seasons.
His senior year was his most productive, where he posted 862 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns, and over 1,000 yards from scrimmage-averaging a strong 5.6 yards per carry. That kind of production helped earn him a fifth-round selection by the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Draft.
But it’s his coaching path that’s now drawing attention. Smith began his coaching journey in 2012 as a graduate assistant at Arkansas, laying the foundation for a career that would take him across multiple programs.
He went on to coach running backs at Western Kentucky, Louisville, and Rutgers, before getting his shot in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. There, he spent three years working in offensive quality control and as an offensive assistant-an experience that added a pro-level edge to his coaching toolbox.
In 2024, Smith returned to Arkansas, and over the past two seasons, he played a key role in revitalizing the Razorbacks’ rushing attack. Arkansas had two running backs this past year who each averaged over five yards per carry on at least 100 attempts-a testament to both talent and coaching. As a unit, the Razorbacks piled up over 2,300 rushing yards during the 2025-2026 season, showing just how effective Smith’s backfield could be when things clicked.
Now, he’s headed to Lexington, where he’ll be tasked with continuing that kind of success in a new-look Kentucky offense under Will Stein. Stein, who made his name as Oregon’s offensive coordinator, has leaned heavily on dynamic running backs in his schemes. That makes this hire more than just a staff addition-it’s a strategic move to keep the ground game as a cornerstone of Kentucky’s identity moving forward.
Smith brings with him a blend of college and NFL experience, a proven track record of developing productive backs, and a familiarity with the SEC landscape. For a Kentucky program looking to make noise in a deep and competitive conference, adding a coach like Smith could be a difference-maker in the trenches.
This isn’t just about finding someone to coach running backs-it’s about building a backfield that can keep defenses honest, control the tempo, and open up the rest of the offense. With Smith now expected to take the reins, the Wildcats are betting on a coach who knows how to get the most out of his room. And if his recent work at Arkansas is any indication, that’s a bet worth making.