Smith Settles In Once Silent Treatment Called Off Ex-Idaho Football Coach Losing In Logan, But Once-Quiet Daughter Gives Pep Talk
Former Idaho football coach John L. Smith can handle the losses at his new job at Utah State.
The Aggies are 0-5.
But the silent treatment he received from 13-year-old daughter, Kayse, was hard to take.
“It (Logan, Utah) is a real nice place to live. The people here are friendly, skiing’s close by,” Smith said by phone the other day. “And my daughter’s talking to me again.”
Young Kayse wasn’t too pleased when Dad unexpectedly left Idaho for Utah State last January.
“She thought I ruined her life. She didn’t talk to me for 3 or 4 months,” Smith said. “She was going to run away and eat worms.”
But the cold war ended when Smith’s team lost a heart-wrencher at Arkansas State to open the season. He returned home to see a Kayse-authored sign on the deck of the family home that read: “Go Aggies, better luck next time!”
“That was neat to see,” Smith said. “That was about the only positive about the Arkansas State loss.”
Now, in addition to conversing, Smith would like to re-establish another family tradition: Post-game kisses from Kayse. But those only follow wins.
Utah State has suffered three agonizing losses in five outings. Only Boise State and Colorado State have dominated the Aggies.
So, did Smith make a mistake in leaving Idaho for Utah State’s rebuilding job?
“I try not to look back,” he said diplomatically. “I try to look ahead to what I have to get done. It’s one of those decisions I’ve made, regardless of why or how, and it’s something I’ve got to live with.”
Other than a 3-7-1 season as an assistant at Washington State in 1987, losing seasons are foreign to Smith. He said his only previous sub-.500 year was as an assistant at Montana in the mid 1970s.
“It’s a little frustrating,” Smith said, “because we’re not used to this. It works its way downhill, from myself to the coaches to the players. I try to focus on the positive things.”
Like the Aggies, leading the Big West Conference in defense through four games, despite having to use an undersized 220-pound noseguard. “That little crapper plays hard, though,” Smith said. And Utah State’s offense rates No. 21 nationally.
So how can the Aggies be winless? “It’s learning how to win,” Smith said. “We’re still trying to do that.”
Smith said Utah State would be middle of the pack in the Big Sky. He said Idaho has better offensive and defensive lines, but that the Aggies have strong skill-position players.
Smith faces many obstacles. His sophomore class has only six members. The team has just 56 players total, well below the NCAA-permitted 85.
“We’ve lost some to injury and there were some losses in (coaching) turnover,” Smith said. “We’ve got to get the numbers back up.”
To do so, he has had to hit the JC ranks hard.
Yet, Smith doesn’t have to look far for positives, either. USU is rumored to be receiving a new practice facility, a two-field indoor complex that will rival any in the nation. That should come in handy - it rained every day during spring drills.
Plans are in the works to expand Romney Stadium’s seating capacity from 30,000 to 40,000.
Utah State only schedules non-conference games with foes who will play home-and-home. Brigham Young, Colorado State and Texas Tech are on future schedules. Idaho, which will join Utah State in the Big West next year, visits Logan on Oct. 20, 1996.
And Smith said USU President George Emert and athletic director Chuck Bell are extremely supportive. Emert makes time to talk to recruits, Smith said.
“We’re doing things right,” Smith said.
Even his daughter thinks so.
“She’s doing great in school,” Smith said. “Everything’s worked out now.”
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