Craig Smith begins his third season as offensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and quarterbacks coach at UW-Whitewater in 2017. He was hired in March 2015.
In 2016, UW-Whitewater won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and reached the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Playoffs. The team ranked 18th in the nation in first downs (275) and averaged nearly 35 points per game and almost 200 rushing yards per contest. Following his first year as a starter, quarterback Cole Wilber was named honorable mention All-WIAC.
In Smith's first year managing the offense, the Warhawks averaged more than 38 points per game and eclipsed the 60-point mark four times during the season. The team ranked 12th in NCAA Division III in first downs and 16th in red zone offense, and threw the 10th-fewest interceptions in the nation in 2015. UW-Whitewater ranked second in the WIAC in both scoring offense and rushing offense (222.9 yards per game).
Smith joined the Warhawks after managing the UW-Oshkosh passing game as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks/wide receivers coach. He was named WIAC Co-Assistant Coach of the Year in 2012 after helping the Titans lead the conference in total offense (480.1 yards per game) and passing efficiency (160.72). UW-Oshkosh claimed the WIAC championship and reached the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Playoffs that season.
In 2011, the Titans led the WIAC in total offense (422 yards per game) and averaged 31 points per game.
Smith graduated from UW-Platteville, where he was a two-year letter winner in football. Prior to UW-Oshkosh, he served as offensive coodinator at Quincy (Ill.) University from 2006-07, was an assistant coach at UW-Platteville (2004-05) and was head coach at Southwestern High School (2002-03). Smith was an assistant at Southwestern during the 2001 season.
During his time at Quincy, Smith helped lead the Hawks to their first winning season in over 20 years in 2006. One year later, under Smith's direction, Quincy ranked 18th in the NAIA with 375 yards per contest.
Smith earned his degrees from UW-Platteville, picking up his bachelor's from UW-Platteville in public relations in 2002 and a master's in secondary and adult education in 2004.
A native of Clinton, Iowa, Smith and his wife, Nicol, were married in 2013. The couple has two children, Nolan and Mason.
