Before he was calling plays for Atlanta’s opportunistic defense, Richard Smith held the post of Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator during the 2005 season.
Smith was a part of Nick Saban’s coaching staff in Miami during the first of two seasons that the cantankerous despot that is Nick Saban spent roaming the Fins’ sideline before he took his current place in Tuscaloosa as an Alabama demi-god.
While 2005 was Smith’s only season leading the Fins defense, the unit flashed greatness – totaling 49 sacks that season, good for second-best in the league.
What made that sack total number even more impressive was the fact that the Dolphins’ starting defensive line had an average age of 32 years.