John L. Smith
Encyclopedia
John L. Smith is an American football
coach and former player. He is currently the special teams coach at the University of Arkansas
, under head coach Bobby Petrino
. Smith has served as the head football coach at four universities: the University of Idaho
(1989–1994), Utah State University
(1995–1997), the University of Louisville
(1998–2002), and Michigan State University
(2003–2006), and has compiled a career college football
record of 132–86.
in Eastern Idaho
and raised in nearby Iona
. He lettered in football, basketball
, and track at Bonneville High School, graduating in 1967. He played college football at Weber State University
in Ogden, Utah
as both a linebacker
and quarterback
in the Big Sky
, then a Division II conference.
at his alma mater
, Weber State, in 1971. For the next 17 seasons, Smith was an assistant coach, first at Montana
for five seasons (1972–76) and then at Nevada
(1977–81) for five more as the defensive coordinator
. He then joined Dennis Erickson
as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for seven seasons at three schools: Idaho
(1982–85), Wyoming
(1986), and Washington State
(1987–88). The middle initial "L" became part of his public moniker in 1982
, due to another John Smith on Erickson's coaching staff at Idaho.
won two Big Sky Conference
championships and made the 16-team NCAA Division I-AA playoffs five times, advancing to the national semifinals in 1993. Smith's 53 wins are the most in school history.
In 1989, Smith inherited a team had gone 11–2 the previous season and returned All-American
quarterback in John Friesz
. Despite losing the first two games of the 1989 season to Washington State
and Portland State, Idaho went undefeated (8–0) in Big Sky Conference play, the only time in school history. The Vandals lost in the first round of the I-AA playoffs, and finished at 9–3. Friesz won the Walter Payton Award
and was drafted in 1990
by the San Diego Chargers
and spent a decade in the NFL
. Smith's next quarterback at Idaho was southpaw Doug Nussmeier
, who threw for over 10,000 yards and won the Walter Payton Award in 1993; he was drafted in the fourth round by the New Orleans Saints
in 1994
.
Smith left Idaho following the 1994 season, moving up to Division I-A with Utah State
for three seasons (16–18, .470). He then spent five seasons at Louisville
(1998–2002), where he put together a 41–21 record (.661), including five straight bowl
appearances and back-to-back Conference USA
titles in 2000 and 2001. Under Smith's tutelage, quarterback Dave Ragone
was a three-time Conference USA player of the year (2000–02).
season, Smith was hired as the head coach at Michigan State
, which created controversy because Smith was hired before Louisville's bowl game that season, and he did not inform his Louisville players of the decision until halftime of the bowl game, which they lost to Marshall
.
with wins over Western Michigan
and Rutgers
, Smith's team was unable to hold off a series of late game drives by WAC
member Louisiana Tech
, losing a 20–19 decision. The Spartans ended the regular season 8–4, and were then defeated by Nebraska
, 17–3, in the 2003 Alamo Bowl
, a game which also featured the injury of the Spartans' anticipated star quarterback Drew Stanton
while he was playing on special teams.
season was the second of a "home-and-home" series against Rutgers, which the Spartans lost in New Jersey, 19–14. The Spartans also lost to Notre Dame
and dropped a three-overtime game against rival Michigan
, but beat a top-10 ranked Wisconsin
team, 49–14. The Spartans lost their final two games that season and did not receive a bowl invitation--the first time a Smith-coached team hadn't gone to a bowl since 1997.
season with a 4–0 record in non-conference play. However, the team was only able win one game in the Big Ten and finished the year 5–7, losing several game by more than 28 points. The Spartans were again unable to beat Michigan
, losing 34–31 in the second straight overtime game between the two schools.
One of the most significant games of the season was against Ohio State
. The Spartans had a brief 17–7 lead in the second quarter. With 24 seconds and no time outs remaining in the first half, Michigan State faced a second down and 12 yards to go at the Ohio State 17 yard-line. Michigan State tried a running play resulting in no gain. Facing third down, Michigan State likely could have easily spiked the ball to stop the clock. However, with the clock running, it was perceived by many fans and sports commentators that chaos reigned on the MSU sideline. The confusion resulted in Michigan State lining up on the field with only ten players. A field goal attempt was blocked, and returned by Ohio State for a touchdown to cut the lead to 17–14. In half-time comments on ABC
, Smith blamed the coaching staff remarking "That's a dang coaching mistake...the kids are playing their tail off, and the coaches are screwing it up!"
Michigan State finished the season 5–7, missing out on a bowl bid for the second straight year.
with three wins and then suffered an infamous late-game loss against Notre Dame
. The Spartans led 37–21 midway through the fourth quarter, but, despite a raging thunderstorm, the Irish rallied for a 40–37 victory.
The following week, Michigan State's homecoming game, the Spartans were defeated 23–20 by an Illinois
team that had not won a Big Ten game since 2004. After the game, players from both teams fought at midfield after several Illinois players tried to plant their flag at midfield of Spartan Stadium
, a reference to actions taken by MSU players in the 2005 Notre Dame game in South Bend. In the post-game press conference, Smith admitted the coaches were having trouble motivating the players. Smith also slapped himself in the face jokingly as a reference to a claim by Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis
who stated that he had been hit in the face during a sideline scrum earlier that season when his Fighting Irish played Michigan State.
Following another defeat to Michigan
, Michigan State hosted and lost 38–7 to top-ranked Ohio State
. At halftime, Spartan Stadium had mostly emptied, with a large portion of the remaining attendees being Ohio State fans.
MSU followed up those losses with a 41–38 win at Northwestern
. The Spartans, down 38–3 in the middle of the third quarter, rallied for 38 unanswered points for the largest comeback in NCAA
history. The Spartans then fell to Indiana
the following week.
On November 1, Michigan State decided not to retain John L. Smith, and the remainder of his contract was bought out for $1.5 million. Smith and his coaching staff stayed on the job through the end of the 2006 season. Michigan State finished 4–8 (1–7 in the Big Ten). Smith was replaced by Mark Dantonio
, previously the head coach of Cincinnati
on November 27. Smith had a record of 22–26 (.458) in his four seasons at Michigan State.
Smith has compiled a record of 132–86 (.605) in his 18 years as a college head coach. 12 of his 18 teams have participated in postseason play, including seven straight from 1997–2003. Smith is one of 18 head coaches in college football history to take three different teams to bowl games. A defensive coach for most of his career, Smith is also known as one of the disciples of the spread offense, learned from Dennis Erickson
. After introducing the spread offense at Michigan State, Smith was named the Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year in 2003.
quarterback Alex Smith
.
Smith has earned a reputation for his adventurous attitude and actions, including para-gliding with his children in Zermatt, Switzerland
, climbing 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro
in Africa
, flying in a T-38 Talon
jet trainer in Texas at Randolph Air Force Base
, skydiving from 14,000 feet over Greensburg, Indiana
, and running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain
, Spain
.
In 2000 Sports Illustrated
recognized Smith as one of Idaho
's top 100 athletes of the 20th century. He was later inducted into the Idaho Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player. He is currently the special teams coach at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, under head coach Bobby Petrino
Bobby Petrino
Bobby Petrino is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arkansas, a position he has held since the 2008 season...
. Smith has served as the head football coach at four universities: the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
(1989–1994), Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
(1995–1997), the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
(1998–2002), and Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
(2003–2006), and has compiled a career college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
record of 132–86.
Early years and playing career
Smith was born in Idaho FallsIdaho Falls, Idaho
Idaho Falls is a city in and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, United States, and the largest city in Eastern Idaho. As of the 2010 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 56,813, with a metro population of 130,374....
in Eastern Idaho
Eastern Idaho
Eastern Idaho is a generic term used to describe areas of Idaho which lie east of the Magic Valley region. It is generally understood to include: Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Caribou, Clark, Custer, Franklin, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison, Oneida, Power and Teton...
and raised in nearby Iona
Iona, Idaho
Iona is a city in Bonneville County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Idaho Falls, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,201 at the 2000 census....
. He lettered in football, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and track at Bonneville High School, graduating in 1967. He played college football at Weber State University
Weber State University
Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
in Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
as both a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
and quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in the Big Sky
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
, then a Division II conference.
Assistant coaching career
Smith began his coaching career as a graduate assistantGraduate assistant
A graduate assistant is a position who serves in a support role at a university, usually while completing post-graduate education. The individual typically assists professors or with instructional responsibilities as teaching assistants, coaches with an athletic team, or university department...
at his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, Weber State, in 1971. For the next 17 seasons, Smith was an assistant coach, first at Montana
Montana Grizzlies football
The Montana Grizzlies football program represents the University of Montana in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football. The Grizzlies have competed in the Big Sky Conference, where it is a founding member, since 1963...
for five seasons (1972–76) and then at Nevada
Nevada Wolf Pack football
The Nevada Wolf Pack Football program represents the University of Nevada, Reno in college football. The Wolf Pack competes in the Western Athletic Conference at the Football Bowl Subdivision level of the NCAA...
(1977–81) for five more as the defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
. He then joined Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at Arizona State University until November 28, 2011, a position he had held since the 2007 season. In 2008 the Arizona Board of Regents had approved a contract extension to keep Erickson at Arizona...
as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for seven seasons at three schools: Idaho
Idaho Vandals football
The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I...
(1982–85), Wyoming
Wyoming Cowboys football
The Wyoming Cowboys are a college football team that represents the University of Wyoming. They compete in the Mountain West Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I. The team has won 15 conference titles...
(1986), and Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
(1987–88). The middle initial "L" became part of his public moniker in 1982
1982 Idaho Vandals football team
The 1982 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach Dennis Erickson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in...
, due to another John Smith on Erickson's coaching staff at Idaho.
Head coaching career
After serving as an assistant head coach for Dennis Erickson for seven seasons, Smith began his head coaching career in 1989 at Idaho, where he posted a 53–21 record (.716) in six seasons. Under his leadership, the Idaho VandalsIdaho Vandals football
The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I...
won two Big Sky Conference
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
championships and made the 16-team NCAA Division I-AA playoffs five times, advancing to the national semifinals in 1993. Smith's 53 wins are the most in school history.
In 1989, Smith inherited a team had gone 11–2 the previous season and returned All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
quarterback in John Friesz
John Friesz
John Melvin "Deep" Friesz is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks, and the New England Patriots....
. Despite losing the first two games of the 1989 season to Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
and Portland State, Idaho went undefeated (8–0) in Big Sky Conference play, the only time in school history. The Vandals lost in the first round of the I-AA playoffs, and finished at 9–3. Friesz won the Walter Payton Award
Walter Payton Award
The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports information directors...
and was drafted in 1990
1990 NFL Draft
The 1990 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1990...
by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and spent a decade in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Smith's next quarterback at Idaho was southpaw Doug Nussmeier
Doug Nussmeier
Douglas Keith "Doug" Nussmeier is a college football coach, currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Washington under head coach Steve Sarkisian....
, who threw for over 10,000 yards and won the Walter Payton Award in 1993; he was drafted in the fourth round by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in 1994
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
.
Smith left Idaho following the 1994 season, moving up to Division I-A with Utah State
Utah State Aggies football
The Utah State Aggies are a college football team that competes in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I, representing Utah State University. The Utah State college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Romney Stadium since 1968...
for three seasons (16–18, .470). He then spent five seasons at Louisville
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
(1998–2002), where he put together a 41–21 record (.661), including five straight bowl
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
appearances and back-to-back Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
titles in 2000 and 2001. Under Smith's tutelage, quarterback Dave Ragone
Dave Ragone
David Patrick Ragone is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League.-Early years:...
was a three-time Conference USA player of the year (2000–02).
Michigan State
After the 20022002 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2002 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Spartans played their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan...
season, Smith was hired as the head coach at Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
, which created controversy because Smith was hired before Louisville's bowl game that season, and he did not inform his Louisville players of the decision until halftime of the bowl game, which they lost to Marshall
Marshall Thundering Herd football
The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision...
.
2003
After opening his first season at Michigan State in 20032003 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2003 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 2003-2004 college football season.The Spartans play their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. This was the first year for head coach John L...
with wins over Western Michigan
Western Michigan Broncos football
The Western Michigan Broncos football program represents Western Michigan University in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I and the Mid-American Conference . Western Michigan has competed in football since 1906, when they played three games in their inaugural season...
and Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
, Smith's team was unable to hold off a series of late game drives by WAC
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
member Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football program represents Louisiana Tech University in Western Athletic Conference. The team currently competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Since the Bulldogs first season in 1901, Louisiana Tech has compiled an all-time record of 554 wins, 422...
, losing a 20–19 decision. The Spartans ended the regular season 8–4, and were then defeated by Nebraska
2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Frank Solich and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.-Schedule:...
, 17–3, in the 2003 Alamo Bowl
2003 Alamo Bowl
The 2003 Alamo Bowl was an American football bowl game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Nebraska Cornhuskers played December 29, 2003 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas....
, a game which also featured the injury of the Spartans' anticipated star quarterback Drew Stanton
Drew Stanton
Drew Emeric Stanton is a quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He played collegiately for the Michigan State Spartans.-Early life:...
while he was playing on special teams.
2004
The second game of the 20042004 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2004 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in NCAA Division I-A college football during the 2004 season. Michigan State competed as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and played their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. The Spartans...
season was the second of a "home-and-home" series against Rutgers, which the Spartans lost in New Jersey, 19–14. The Spartans also lost to Notre Dame
2004 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2004 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was the college football team that represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tyrone Willingham, and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.- Season...
and dropped a three-overtime game against rival Michigan
2004 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2004 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2004 college football season. The team's head football coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium...
, but beat a top-10 ranked Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
team, 49–14. The Spartans lost their final two games that season and did not receive a bowl invitation--the first time a Smith-coached team hadn't gone to a bowl since 1997.
2005
Michigan State began the 20052005 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2005 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in NCAA Division I-A college football during the 2005 season. Michigan State competed as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and played their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. The Spartans...
season with a 4–0 record in non-conference play. However, the team was only able win one game in the Big Ten and finished the year 5–7, losing several game by more than 28 points. The Spartans were again unable to beat Michigan
2005 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2005 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2005 college football season. The team's head coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium. That year Michigan Wolverines football competed in the Big Ten Conference in...
, losing 34–31 in the second straight overtime game between the two schools.
One of the most significant games of the season was against Ohio State
2005 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2005 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented The Ohio State University in the college football season of 2005-2006. The team's head football coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium. The team finished the season with a win-loss record of 10 and 2, and...
. The Spartans had a brief 17–7 lead in the second quarter. With 24 seconds and no time outs remaining in the first half, Michigan State faced a second down and 12 yards to go at the Ohio State 17 yard-line. Michigan State tried a running play resulting in no gain. Facing third down, Michigan State likely could have easily spiked the ball to stop the clock. However, with the clock running, it was perceived by many fans and sports commentators that chaos reigned on the MSU sideline. The confusion resulted in Michigan State lining up on the field with only ten players. A field goal attempt was blocked, and returned by Ohio State for a touchdown to cut the lead to 17–14. In half-time comments on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, Smith blamed the coaching staff remarking "That's a dang coaching mistake...the kids are playing their tail off, and the coaches are screwing it up!"
Michigan State finished the season 5–7, missing out on a bowl bid for the second straight year.
2006
Michigan State began 20062006 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2006 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2006 season. Michigan State competed as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and played their home games...
with three wins and then suffered an infamous late-game loss against Notre Dame
2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was a college football team which represented the University of Notre Dame during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis in his second year as head coach and played their home football games at Notre Dame...
. The Spartans led 37–21 midway through the fourth quarter, but, despite a raging thunderstorm, the Irish rallied for a 40–37 victory.
The following week, Michigan State's homecoming game, the Spartans were defeated 23–20 by an Illinois
2006 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
The 2006 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois in the 2006–2007 college football season. The team's head coach was Ron Zook, who was in his second season with the Illini. Illinois had a record of 2–10, as they did the year before...
team that had not won a Big Ten game since 2004. After the game, players from both teams fought at midfield after several Illinois players tried to plant their flag at midfield of Spartan Stadium
Spartan Stadium (East Lansing)
Spartan Stadium opened in 1923 in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the Michigan State University Spartans...
, a reference to actions taken by MSU players in the 2005 Notre Dame game in South Bend. In the post-game press conference, Smith admitted the coaches were having trouble motivating the players. Smith also slapped himself in the face jokingly as a reference to a claim by Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis
Charlie Weis
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Weis is an American football coach. He currently serves as offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators. For five years, from December 2004 through 2009, he was the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame...
who stated that he had been hit in the face during a sideline scrum earlier that season when his Fighting Irish played Michigan State.
Following another defeat to Michigan
2006 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2006 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2006 college football season. The team's head football coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines came into the season with lower expectations than many Michigan teams of the previous few seasons, ranked #14...
, Michigan State hosted and lost 38–7 to top-ranked Ohio State
2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team representing the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2006-2007. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium...
. At halftime, Spartan Stadium had mostly emptied, with a large portion of the remaining attendees being Ohio State fans.
MSU followed up those losses with a 41–38 win at Northwestern
2006 Michigan State vs. Northwestern football game
The 2006 edition of the Michigan State Spartans / Northwestern Wildcats football game featured the biggest comeback in NCAA history. The Spartans, after falling behind to the Wildcats 38-3 with 9:54 remaining in the 3rd quarter, rallied to score 38 unanswered points to defeat the Wildcats...
. The Spartans, down 38–3 in the middle of the third quarter, rallied for 38 unanswered points for the largest comeback in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
history. The Spartans then fell to Indiana
2006 Indiana Hoosiers football team
The 2006 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented Indiana University during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hoosiers were coached by Terry Hoeppner, who was in his final season as head coach before he died of brain cancer in mid-2007. The Hoosiers played their home games in...
the following week.
On November 1, Michigan State decided not to retain John L. Smith, and the remainder of his contract was bought out for $1.5 million. Smith and his coaching staff stayed on the job through the end of the 2006 season. Michigan State finished 4–8 (1–7 in the Big Ten). Smith was replaced by Mark Dantonio
Mark Dantonio
Mark Dantonio is the current head football coach at Michigan State University. He was hired on November 27, 2006 and became the 24th head coach at Michigan State. He is credited for winning the 2010 Big Ten Championship and his 4 game win streak over arch-rival Michigan...
, previously the head coach of Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats football
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as...
on November 27. Smith had a record of 22–26 (.458) in his four seasons at Michigan State.
Smith has compiled a record of 132–86 (.605) in his 18 years as a college head coach. 12 of his 18 teams have participated in postseason play, including seven straight from 1997–2003. Smith is one of 18 head coaches in college football history to take three different teams to bowl games. A defensive coach for most of his career, Smith is also known as one of the disciples of the spread offense, learned from Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at Arizona State University until November 28, 2011, a position he had held since the 2007 season. In 2008 the Arizona Board of Regents had approved a contract extension to keep Erickson at Arizona...
. After introducing the spread offense at Michigan State, Smith was named the Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year in 2003.
Personal life, family, and honors
Smith married Diana Flora on August 15, 1970, and they have three children: Nicholas, Kayse, and Sam. He is the uncle of San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
quarterback Alex Smith
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah...
.
Smith has earned a reputation for his adventurous attitude and actions, including para-gliding with his children in Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt
Zermatt is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a population of about 5,800 inhabitants....
, climbing 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, flying in a T-38 Talon
T-38 Talon
The Northrop T-38 Talon is a twin-engine supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first supersonic trainer and is also the most produced. The T-38 remains in service as of 2011 in air forces throughout the world....
jet trainer in Texas at Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located east-northeast of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 902d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
, skydiving from 14,000 feet over Greensburg, Indiana
Greensburg, Indiana
Greensburg is a city in Decatur County, Indiana, United States. The population was counted at 11,492 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Decatur County....
, and running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
In 2000 Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
recognized Smith as one of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
's top 100 athletes of the 20th century. He was later inducted into the Idaho Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001.