Home is where heart is for Steelers' new special teams coach

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By Chris Bradford

LATROBE -- Danny Smith is an excitable sort. From two practice fields away, the Steelers’ new special teams coach can be seen and heard. Well, mostly the latter.

If HBO’s cameras ever were granted access to the Steelers’ training camp, the diminutive 59-year-old would almost surely be one of the breakout stars.

“Passionate” is how his players describe him. Smith, though, calls it a labor of love.

Football is in Smith’s blood and has been since his days growing up in Pittsburgh’s Point Breeze section. He began his career as a grad assistant at Edinboro and later worked with Dan Marino at Pittsburgh Central Catholic.

“I love it. I love being around the guys,” said Smith. “I love coaching and teaching, communicating. I love developing different situations and plans and see them carried out. I live and die with them, I really do. I want them to know that I’m in it with them.

“I love, love, love what I do. I’m well-prepared. I want them to be, too. I have high expectations for myself and them.”

READ MORE: http://www.timesonline.com/sports/steelers/home-is-where-heart-is-for-steelers-new-special-teams/article_2b59327e-556c-59e6-b6c0-6e3dd1057deb.html

I'm not going to overreact to one preseason game (especially the first one), but special teams were a total mess against the Giants. I want to like Smith, so hopefully he can improve things drastically.

yeah, it's great that his heart is for the Steelers, but damn the STs have to a better job.

stlrtruck wrote:

yeah, it's great that his heart is for the Steelers, but damn the STs have to a better job.

I wouldn't look too much into the special team's first performance. It was the first game with a new coach and some of those players will not be on the team come week one of the regular season. I think the special teams will do better this year actually.