Fasten Your Seat Belt John L. Smith Lands Back In Idaho With His Utah State Team

The helicopter crash was frightening. The bus breaking down was annoying and comical. The airplane making an emergency landing was downright terrifying.

Yes, getting there has always been interesting when John L. Smith is the head football coach.

“I’m getting good at hitchhiking,” cracked Smith, whose travel follies have become so acute that assistant coaches have suggested he drive to games.

Smith could probably put the plane on autopilot and make it to Saturday’s destination. The former Idaho coach returns to the Kibbie Dome as Utah State’s coach. Game time is 5 p.m.

To recap, Smith has had two mishaps this season. About a month ago, he was en route to Salt Lake City for a press conference in a helicopter piloted by USU’s orthopedic surgeon when the tail prop failed.

“We started spinning. When the prop hit, it tore off the landing gear and then we were really out of control,” Smith said of the mountain-top landing, if landing is the right word. “We crashed upside down.”

Smith and another passenger climbed out, but Dr. Marlowe Goble was still inside.

“The engine’s burning and the first thing I thought of is, ‘Great, we’re going to live through the crash only to explode,’ ” Smith said.

Smith helped Goble from the helicopter, which was totaled. Smith hasn’t attended another Salt Lake press conference. Instead, Smith and several players field questions from USU students on campus.

Smith’s other ‘97 misadventure came as the Aggies were busing to Provo, Utah, to face Brigham Young.

“The darn thing broke down and we had to unload players and put them onto the other two buses,” Smith said. “The first thing (assistant coach Mike) Cox does is give me this look. So I say, ‘If you open your mouth, you’re going to be looking for another job.’ “

Some history helps explain Cox’s glance. The two were Idaho coaches in 1989 when the Vandals were flying home from a road game at Northern Arizona.

Hydrolics problems forced an emergency landing. Smith knew the situation was serious because “the stewardesses went berserk and the plane started jerking when they were dumping fuel. And then you see the runway and it’s lined with fire trucks and ambulances with their lights flashing.

“That was scary because we had more time to think about it.”

Smith remembers sitting close to quarterback John Friesz.

“I turned to Friesz and said, ‘What are you going to call, big boy, blitz or crash? He said he was checking out of crash,” Smith laughed.

Prior to takeoff, passengers were asked if they wanted to take a different flight because it had been overbooked.

“A few of my assistants wanted to (change) because they could get a free round-trip ticket,” Smith said. “I told ‘em, ‘Get on the plane.’ That’s the first thing I thought of. I just killed an extra 5 or 6 people.”

Just before landing, Smith offered something of a Hail Mary. “I said, Dear Lord, I’ll give these guys a night off during the week if we make it down safely.”

The plane did so, and Wednesday nights became family nights for Smith’s staff. Still are to this day.

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