UT's strength and conditioning coach: The little things do matter

For Tennessee's new strength and conditioning coach Mark Smith, it's the little things that matter.

Do the little things, and big things happen. Ignore them, and you're in for big problems.

Charged with helping lay the foundation for Lane Kiffin's Tennessee tenure during offseason workouts, the 44-year-old former N.C. State linebacker has made attention to detail the cornerstone.

And, of course, some pretty challenging workouts.

The first session under Smith, who joined UT's staff in December after spending four seasons at South Carolina, was a tough one.

Beginning in early January, linemen had to run 100-yard sprints in under 19 seconds, with a 45-second break between each of the 18 sprints. Linebackers, fullbacks and tight ends had 18 seconds, and everyone else had 16 seconds to run from goal line to goal line.

"When they came in, it was kind of a shock to them," Smith said. "But the guys have really picked it up since that first day, that first run. They've gotten better, and we've just to got to continue to do that."

The process continues when the Vols hold their first of 15 spring practices Tuesday on Haslam Field. As Kiffin and his staff begins installing new schemes in every facet of the game, attention to detail will be key.

But Smith has helped deliver that message early.

Players must wear matching gear to workouts. Earrings and jewelry aren't allowed. Toes start behind the line on sprints, and players must jog on and off the field.

The groups have gotten smaller, too.

The Vols have team runs at 6 a.m. on Monday and Friday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, though, they break into two groups for agility and quickness drills, one at 5:30 a.m. and one at 6 a.m.

Players are lifting weights four days a week, with a lower body focus on Monday and Thursday and upper body focus on Tuesday and Friday. Smith divided players into one of five groups for lifting based on class schedules.

With a staff of four full-time coaches, including Smith, and four interns, the small groups allow the strength staff to keep an eye on those precious details.

"What we try to stress is you're always going to have a coach with you from the time you walk through the door to the time you finish," Smith said. "There will be no skipping reps. You're not cutting any corners, because you're always going to have somebody counting the reps, making sure you're doing it the right way and pushing you to be the best you can be. What we try to do is make sure - discipline, discipline, discipline, discipline."

That's been a staple of Smith's programs wherever he's been, and he's been a lot of places.

After a free-agent deal didn't work out with the Dallas Cowboys, Smith returned to N.C. State, where he began his career as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. (Oddly enough, Smith was a freshman at N.C. State in 1983; UT defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin was head coach there 1980-82.)

Smith went to Florida 1998-2001, and reunited with Steve Spurrier in Washington after spending 2002 as the strength and conditioning director at Kansas in head coach Mark Mangino's first year.

Then it was off to the New Orleans Saints for one season before re-joining Spurrier one more time in 2005 at South Carolina.

With much of his career spent in the SEC, Smith said UT has a good reputation for talented, well-conditioned teams.

"They're a team that plays hard and has a lot of tradition," he said. "That's what we wanted to come to and continue to build on. We want to be a strong team, a well-conditioned team and one that's going to go out and compete every single game."

Spring practice promises a healthy dose of competition as well, with every returning player - save All-American safety Eric Berry - vying for a starting spot. Of course, UT's players have been enrolled in a crash course on Kiffin's expectations since January.

"We do everything right, the little things, everything right," Smith said. "I think that carries over to the way you perform on the field."

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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