Fort Wayne Community Schools superintendent Mark Daniel announced in a letter to parents that Smith replaced David West, who is also no longer the North Side high school principal after seven years.
A reason for Daniel's and West's sudden departure have not been disclosed. The Legends lost 19-0 to East Noble in their season opener on Friday.
"Jaylon Smith will fill the head coach duties for now, with Larry Davis serving as assistant head coach. They will be supported by the assistant coaches," said FWCS communications manager Scott Murray in a statement to WANE 15.
Notre Dame football junior Guerby Lambert, left, and freshman Charlie Thom work in an offensive lineman drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football junior Kedren Young runs in between yellow cans during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football freshman Devin Fitzgerald (11) runs to avoid a tackle from freshman Joey O'Brien during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freeman in the warmup line during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football sophomore Owen Strebig, left, works with freshman Charlie Thom in a drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football sophomore Will Black, left, and freshman Grayson McKeough work through an offensive lineman drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football special teams coordinator Marty Biagi, right, talks with freshman Devin Fitzgerald during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football team huddles up during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football junior Logan Saldate catches a pass during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame sophomore Jerome Bettis Jr. catches a pass in a wide receiver drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football junior Xavier Southall works through a wide receiver drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football junior CJ Carr (13) hands the ball off to junior Aneyas Williams in a drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football freshman Austin Ratigan (89) walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
A group of Notre Dame football players walk into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame senior Jason Onye walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football senior Elijah Hughes walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame football senior Adon Shuler (8) and quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli walk into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame senior Ty Washington walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame special teams coordinator Marty Biagi walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame junior Bryce Young (95) walk into practice during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame freshman Teddy Jarrard walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame junior Tionne Gray walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, left, talks with people during a football practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
1/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football junior Guerby Lambert, left, and freshman Charlie Thom work in an offensive lineman drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
1/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football junior Guerby Lambert, left, and freshman Charlie Thom work in an offensive lineman drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
2/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football junior Kedren Young runs in between yellow cans during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
3/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football freshman Devin Fitzgerald (11) runs to avoid a tackle from freshman Joey O'Brien during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
4/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freeman in the warmup line during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
5/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football sophomore Owen Strebig, left, works with freshman Charlie Thom in a drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
6/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football sophomore Will Black, left, and freshman Grayson McKeough work through an offensive lineman drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
7/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football special teams coordinator Marty Biagi, right, talks with freshman Devin Fitzgerald during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
8/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football team huddles up during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
9/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football junior Logan Saldate catches a pass during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
10/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame sophomore Jerome Bettis Jr. catches a pass in a wide receiver drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
11/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football junior Xavier Southall works through a wide receiver drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
12/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football junior CJ Carr (13) hands the ball off to junior Aneyas Williams in a drill during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
13/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football freshman Austin Ratigan (89) walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
14/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
A group of Notre Dame football players walk into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
15/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame senior Jason Onye walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
16/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football senior Elijah Hughes walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
17/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame football senior Adon Shuler (8) and quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli walk into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
18/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame senior Ty Washington walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
19/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame special teams coordinator Marty Biagi walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
20/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame junior Bryce Young (95) walk into practice during a practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
21/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame freshman Teddy Jarrard walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
22/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame junior Tionne Gray walks into practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
23/23
See photos from Notre Dame football practice on August 7, 2026
Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, left, talks with people during a football practice Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
(Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune)
Smith is a 2013 graduate of Bishop Luers High School, which is about five miles south of North Side. Smith's senior campaign saw him win the Mr. Football award for Indiana and became the recipient of the 2012 Butkus Award, which is given to the best high school linebacker in the country.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Defensively, Smith recorded 72 tackles (19.5 tackles for loss), eight sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and seven pass deflections as a senior for the Knights.
Smith went on to play three seasons at Notre Dame, where he notched 292 total tackles (24.5 tackles for loss), 4.5 sacks, an interception, and three forced fumbles. Smith became a Consensus All-American in 2015.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page onFacebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.
