Former assistant coach of the Mustang football program, Dave Smith, 76, passed away Aug. 29 after an 11-year battle against cancer.
One of the Junction Boys and quarterback at Texas A&M in 1954, Smith landed his first coaching job at Texas A&M University in Kingsville from 1954-58.
Between the job at Texas A&M University and coming to SMU, Smith coached at Corsicana High School and Nederland High School, where he led Nederland to the State Final game, but lost to Dumas High School. After his first attempt at a State Champion title, Smith helped coach the “Skinny 20” – a group of running backs averaging between just 125 to 145 pounds – and led them to a district win in 1962.
Smith came to SMU as an assistant coach from 1963-70, later moving up to the position of offensive coordinator, setting several NCAA records in the team’s passing game in the late 60’s.
In 1968, SMU threw for 3,130 yards, averaging 313 per game. That season, SMU also recorded a winning 8-3 record, racking up 4,334 total yards on offense. The 1966 season also put the Mustangs ahead in the conference with an 8-3 record.
Smith came back to SMU as the head coach in 1973 through 1975, just before the Mustangs won the National Championship in 1982 and received the Death Penalty by the NCAA in 1987.
In 1974, Smith led SMU to an upset over No.4 Texas A&M in an 18-14 win, leading him to the list of being only the second head coach in SMU’s history to leave with a winning record.
Upon leaving the Hilltop, Smith went on to coach Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League in 1971. Continuing on his coaching career as the offensive coordinator in Canada, the 1959 San Antonio McArthur High School graduate led the team to their first play-off appearance in 13 years. Smith’s quarterback, Don Jonas, also went on to win the league’s MVP award in 1966, ’67 and ’68.
Other coaching stints on Smith’s resume include a head coaching position at Oklahoma State in 1972, making it the first time in Smith’s history he had a winning season in nine years overall.
Smith spent his final years coaching football at Vanderbilt in 1976 during the team’s spring training, before spending half the season with the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League. Smith helped coach the son of Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett, in Smith’s final season with the professional Canadian league.
Upon taking a brief leave of absence from coaching, he returned to Dallas to take up homebuilding from 1977-79. Returning to football, Smith took a job at Garland High School as the offensive coordinator before becoming a physical education teacher for handicapped children with Down syndrome in the DeSoto and Lancaster school districts.
According to Smith’s son, Greg, Smith thought his job as a teacher was “one of the most special jobs ever.”
Smith finally retired in 1991 in Granbury where his son said he “played lots of golf and spent time with his wife, Judy.”
A memorial service will be held at the McKinney Memorial Bible Church in Fort Worth on Friday at 11 a.m.
