Alex Smith miraculously worked with seven head coaches during 16 adventurous seasons as a Saskatchewan Roughriders assistant coach. How did he survive all those transitions in such a risky, short-term profession?

“Just lucky, I guess,” said Smith, before joyfully recalling the unprecedented path that began with being hired by head coach Jim Daley in 1997, through becoming great friends with Cal Murphy and staying on-staff with Danny Barrett, Kent Austin, Ken Miller, Greg Marshall and Miller again — after Marshall got fired — until Corey Chamblin unceremoniously dumped him following the 2012 CFL season.

“I don’t really know what happened (with Chamblin). Richie Hall and Gary Etcheverry, the defensive co-ordinators I worked with, would get together and we’d draw up our plans for the ne

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