Former Packers lineman Evan Smith hired as new head football coach at Manitowoc Lincoln
MANITOWOC – Former Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Evan Smith has been hired for the head football coaching position at Manitowoc Lincoln.
The hiring is pending Board of Education approval Jan. 9. He will succeed Greg Enz, who was the Manitowoc head coach for five seasons and led the Ships to playoff appearances in 2019 and 2021.
“I want Manitowoc Lincoln football to be a source of pride for the school and community by building a culture of excellence,” Smith said in a release.
Smith, a 10-year NFL veteran who also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, began working with the Ships last summer as an offensive line coach.
“Coaching the offensive line last season at Manitowoc Lincoln allowed me to see the tremendous potential of your program,” Smith said. “I believe I can bring a high level of competitive football to Manitowoc Lincoln with winning championships being the expectation.”
He said his decade playing and being coached “at the highest level in the NFL” has given him “great insight into what it takes to win.”
Players praised Smith last summer after he was hired, saying they trusted his experience and were soaking up his knowledge.
“He simplifies things down and doesn’t overcomplicate things, just kind of gives us straightforward things that we need to do,” starting right guard Hayden McCredie told the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter in August.
Smith’s wife Misty is from Manitowoc and the couple returned to the city with their children Jocelyn and Blake. Smith said he plans to work with the community to create youth camps and clinics. He also wants to do fundraising and believes he will have opportunities to seek and receive grants from the NFL for additional funding for the program.
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This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Manitowoc Lincoln hires former Packers player as head football coach
