Memphis football hires UAB's Larry Smith, former Vanderbilt QB, as receivers coach

Memphis football has quickly moved on to find its next receivers coach as coach Ryan Silverfield announced Friday that he's hired UAB receivers coach Larry Smith.

Smith coached at UAB for the past seven seasons and replaces David Glidden, who Silverfield parted ways with earlier in the day after five seasons with the program and three as a fulltime assistant.

“I'm extremely honored and excited for this opportunity that Coach Silverfield and the University of Memphis have provided me with,” Smith said in a release. “I'm ready to get to Memphis and work."

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Before joining UAB in January 2016, Smith spent three seasons at Jacksonville State. He was a graduate assistant for a year before serving as quarterbacks coach from 2014-15.

Smith started 27 games at quarterback at Vanderbilt between 2007-11. His final game with the Commodores was the 2011 AutoZone Liberty Bowl where Vanderbilt lost 31-24 to Cincinnati.

At UAB, Smith was part of two Conference USA championships in 2018 and 2020. Receivers Trea Shropshire and Tejhuan Palmer earned All-CUSA honorable mention honors last season, with Shropshire leading the team with 41 receptions, 923 yards and six touchdowns. Palmer had 30 catches for 479 yards and two touchdowns.

Shropshire also led the nation with 26.04 yards per catch in 2021. In 2020, Austin Watkins Jr. earned first team all-conference honors with 34 catches for 468 yards and three touchdowns.

Smith inherits a Memphis receiver room that must replace two starters in senior Gabriel Rogers and junior Javon Ivory. Senior Eddie Lewis, who has a team-high 603 yards, has one year of eligibility remaining.

Smith will face his former team next season as UAB joins the AAC and will host Memphis on a yet-to-be-announced date.