Troy Football Announces Three Staff Additions

TROY, Alabama – Troy head football coach Chip Lindsey filled three of his off-field positions Friday with the addition of E.K. Franks as the assistant AD for football operations and SaJason Finley as the head strength and conditioning coach while Jamaal Smith will return as the director of player development.

"It was important for us to find individuals who can develop and maintain strong relationships with our student-athletes while at the same time earning their respect, and I believe that we accomplished that with EK, SaJason and Jamaal," Lindsey said. "Often, the off-field staff members are overlooked, but they play just as important of a role in our program as the coaches with the amount of time they spend with our players both in season and during the offseason."

Franks, who will oversee all aspects of football operations for the Trojans, comes to Troy following one season as the director of recruiting at Kentucky where the Wildcats posted a 10-3 record and finished No. 11 in the coaches poll.

Prior to Kentucky, Franks spent one season as the director of player personnel at Florida under Dan Mullen following four years as the director of recruiting at Arkansas under Bret Bielema. The Razorbacks averaged a top-25 recruiting class over his final three recruiting classes, including the best class in program history.

He began his collegiate coaching career in 2000 at Kansas State as the strength and conditioning coach before nabbing his first on-field role as the defensive line coach at Texas State in 2003. Franks also has coaching experience at Wisconsin and Southeastern Louisiana.

Franks earned his bachelor's degree in general students from Central Oklahoma in 2000 and his master's degree in adult education from Kansas State in 2002. He is married to the former Angela Dent.

Finley joins the Troy staff following four years at Southern Miss, including the last two as the head football strength and conditioning coach. The Golden Eagles played in three bowl games during his tenure and reached bowl eligibility in all four seasons.

In 2015, Southern Miss finished 9-5 with a berth in the Heart of Dallas Bowl against Washington. The Golden Eagle offense ranked fifth in the nation in total touchdowns, seventh in total points, eighth in total passing yards and completions, and 12th in points per game and passing yards per game. Southern Miss was just the second school in FBS history with a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard receiver and two 1,000-yard rushers.

Prior to his time in Hattiesburg, Finley served as an assistant director of athletic performance for football at UAB during the 2014 season. Finley served as one of the five strength and conditioning coaches for football at Auburn during its 2013 BCS National Championship appearance.

He began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Arkansas State in 2012 after one season as the strength and conditioning coach and running backs coach at Opelika High School.

Finley earned his bachelor's degree in history from Tuskegee in 2008 and his master's in sports administration from Arkansas State in 2014. He is married to the former Earlshawna Frye and the couple has a daughter, Mya Harper.

Smith enters his 13^thseason with the Troy football program and fourth as the director of player development. During the three-year run in his current role, Troy has won 31 games, the 2017 Sun Belt Conference championship and three bowl games.

Troy's 31 wins over the 2016-18 seasons tied for the most in a three-year stretch in school history while the Trojans' three consecutive 10-win seasons was a first in program history. Additionally, Troy set program records for grade point average, NCAA APR and GSR, and community service hours with Smith overseeing all of those aspects of the program. Included in his primary roles is maintaining the culture and discipline of the program.

Smith, a wide receiver for the Trojans from 2001-04, has been part of five Sun Belt Conference titles and seven bowl appearances during his tenure with the Troy. He returned to his alma mater as a graduate assistant on the offensive side of the ball in 2007 and then served as the video coordinator in 2010.

Smith took over as Troy's director of operations in 2011 before moving to the assistant director of player development in 2015.

He earned his bachelor's degree in risk management and insurance from Troy in 2005 and his master's degree in sport management from Troy in 2009. Smith is married to the former Sasha Tuck.

Troy University Athletics

Troy Football Announces Three Staff Additions

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