College Football Coach. He played collegiate football (fullback position) at Princeton University where he achieved All-East and All-Ivy League recognition, and topped 200-yards in a game as he rushed for 273 against Harvard in 1952. Smith launched his lengthy coaching career with Stanford's staff in 1958 and would later serve four years with the Air Force Academy. In 1965, he became head coach at Davidson College and during his tenure (until 1969) guided the Wildcats to their only Southern Conference Championship, culminating with an appearance in the Tangerine Bowl. Following a two-year stint (1970 to 1972) as head coach at Pacific, he served as offensive coordinator under Pepper Rodgers at UCLA where he became a disciple of the "wishbone offense". Under his guidance, the Bruins set school records in both rushing and total yards per-game in 1973. He served as head coach with Army from 1974 until 1978 and would return to UCLA in 1980 (again as offensive coordinator) under Terry Donahue where he remained until 1986. Smith joined the professional ranks as an assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs (1987 to 1988) and served on Alabama's staff in 1989. He served briefly for a third stint with UCLA in 1990 and returned to Alabama, where he was on Gene Stallings's staff (1994 to 1995). His final coaching assignment was with Arizona (1996 to 1997). Smith was inducted into the Davidson College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. He died from cancer.
College Football Coach. He played collegiate football (fullback position) at Princeton University where he achieved All-East and All-Ivy League recognition, and topped 200-yards in a game as he rushed for 273 against Harvard in 1952. Smith launched his lengthy coaching career with Stanford's staff in 1958 and would later serve four years with the Air Force Academy. In 1965, he became head coach at Davidson College and during his tenure (until 1969) guided the Wildcats to their only Southern Conference Championship, culminating with an appearance in the Tangerine Bowl. Following a two-year stint (1970 to 1972) as head coach at Pacific, he served as offensive coordinator under Pepper Rodgers at UCLA where he became a disciple of the "wishbone offense". Under his guidance, the Bruins set school records in both rushing and total yards per-game in 1973. He served as head coach with Army from 1974 until 1978 and would return to UCLA in 1980 (again as offensive coordinator) under Terry Donahue where he remained until 1986. Smith joined the professional ranks as an assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs (1987 to 1988) and served on Alabama's staff in 1989. He served briefly for a third stint with UCLA in 1990 and returned to Alabama, where he was on Gene Stallings's staff (1994 to 1995). His final coaching assignment was with Arizona (1996 to 1997). Smith was inducted into the Davidson College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. He died from cancer.
Bio by: C.S.
Inscription
Homer A. Smith
1931 – 2011
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Smith memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
