Tar Heels hire DeAndre Smith as running backs coach

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) North Carolina hired DeAndre Smith as running backs coach Thursday. Smith was Purdue's running backs coach last year, then was hired at

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) North Carolina hired DeAndre Smith as running backs coach Thursday.

Smith was Purdue's running backs coach last year, then was hired at UNLV - where he spent three months before moving to UNC.

Smith had coached running backs at Syracuse, New Mexico, Illinois, Miami (Ohio) and Northern Illinois. He also worked as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Indiana State.

WIN $2KIN TICKETS

WIN $2KIN TICKETS

GET READY TO COMPETE

Pick your champion (you can change it later). We’ll email you when brackets open.

• Miami (FL)
• Georgia
• Utah
• Indiana
• Alabama
• Kentucky
• Texas
• UCLA
• BYU
• Ole Miss
• Notre Dame
• Ohio State

PREREGISTER TO PLAY

No purchase necessary. 50 U.S./D.C. 18+. Entry opens 3PM ET Dec 6, 2026 and closes 8PM ET Dec 18, 2026. Void where prohibited.See Official Rules for complete details. The College Football Playoff (CFP) is not a sponsor or administrator of this contest.

Smith replaces Larry Porter, who is now an assistant at Auburn.

---

More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org