The mastermind behind Florida A&M football’s acclaimed ‘Dark Cloud Defense’ has left the program.

Ryan Smith, the Rattlers’ associate head coach and head coach of the defense, announced Wednesday night on social media that he is resigning after six years.

“God opens doors and closes doors. And he’s closed the door for me in this chapter of my life," Smith said in an exclusive interview with the Tallahassee Democrat.

"We enjoyed it."

On Friday, fellow Division I Football Championship Subdivision team Murray State announced Smith as its new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

FAMU co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Milton Patterson could be a potential candidate for the Rattlers defensive coordinator vacancy.

Smith joined FAMU as a linebackers coach on former Rattlers head coach Willie Simmons’ inaugural coaching staff in 2018.

The Perry native Smith is FAMU’s first on-field coach to leave the team since Simmons' Jan. 1 departure to be Duke's running backs coach.

FAMU has promoted interim head coach James Colzie III as the Rattlers’ 19th full-time head coach to replace Simmons.

“It was a special time [at FAMU] and something special to be a part of,” Smith reflected.

“The way the fans always supported and cheered us on made it special. Even the way the fans supported me after Coach Simmons was gone was a special time.”

Promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2021 and then defensive coordinator in 2022, Smith spearheaded the development of a dominant Rattlers defense that has been a mainstay near the top of the FCS total defense rankings.

Most notably, Smith’s defenses have featured current NFL players Markquese Bell (Dallas Cowboys) and Isaiah Land (Indianapolis Colts).

The Rattlers also had the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s 2023 Defensive Player of the Year linebacker Isaiah Major.

Last season, FAMU finished second in FCS total defense, which boosted the Rattlers to win the program’s first SWAC and Celebration Bowl championships.

"A lot of times, I get too much of the credit. But it was an accumulation of everything," Smith said of his FAMU defenses.

“People would put their egos aside, and we did it as a unit.”

Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU Football: Rattlers DC Ryan Smith leaving team after six years