KU defensive coordinator says Fish Smithson, the Big 12’s top tackler, can be better

There was a practice this spring where Kansas safety Tyrone Miller couldn’t figure out where he went wrong. With Miller playing inside, a receiver in his area cut outside, and it seemed like an impossible task to keep coverage.

Miller, who is transitioning from cornerback to safety this season, quickly found teammate Fish Smithson. Smithson told Miller to keep his feet moving in that situation and to stare at the receiver’s hips. When he goes out, you go out.

“He knows everything,” Miller said of Smithson, “so I go straight to him.”

Returning as the most recognizable name on KU’s defense, Smithson is working to increase his role while preparing for the 2016 season. After leading the nation in solo tackles per game at 7.9, the safety says he wants to improve his leadership.

“Being more vocal. Helping guys out and helping myself out,” Smithson said. “Being louder as far as communicating.”

Defensive coordinator Clint Bowen — he’s also the team’s safeties coach — affectionately refers to Smithson as the “father figure” of the position group, answering questions whenever teammates approach him.

“They trust him,” Bowen said. “And they know that he knows what he’s talking about.”

Bowen sees more growth potential for Smithson in his senior season. While Smithson is a disciplined football player — his eyes are almost always in the right spot — his biggest issue a year ago was taking the correct angle on tackles.

It was a weakness that Bowen and Smithson saw and studied on film in the offseason. Bowen says tackling is especially difficult in today’s game because of the way offenses space the field.

“There’s no ‘Run down there, stop your feet, break down and tackle people’ in this league. You’re either going to get on a good angle and you’re going to take a shot to get him down, or you’re not,” Bowen said. “But it’s hard for kids to trust that sometimes. It takes a little bit of time.”

Smithson was still solid on the skill a year ago, as his 111 tackles led the Big 12.

“I don’t know how many Fish missed last year,” Bowen said, “but there were enough misses in there that the (tackle) number could have been even higher.”

Miller knows how good Smithson can be. While playing corner a year ago, he always felt more comfortable when Smithson was playing on his side of the field.

Now as an understudy, Miller says he sees Smithson as more of a “big brother” — a role he is trying to embrace.

“He’s a great idol,” Miller said. “I’m trying to be more like him.”

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 6:27 PM with the headline "KU defensive coordinator says Fish Smithson, the Big 12’s top tackler, can be better."