| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 15, 1948 Idaho Falls, Idaho, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1968–1970 | Weber State |
| Position(s) | Linebacker, quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1971 | Weber State (GA) |
| 1972–1976 | Montana (assistant) |
| 1977–1981 | Nevada (DC) |
| 1982–1985 | Idaho (DC) |
| 1986 | Wyoming (DC) |
| 1987–1988 | Washington State (DC) |
| 1989–1994 | Idaho |
| 1995–1997 | Utah State |
| 1998–2002 | Louisville |
| 2003–2006 | Michigan State |
| 2009–2011 | Arkansas (ST) |
| 2012 | Arkansas |
| 2013–2015 | Fort Lewis |
| 2016–2018 | Kentucky State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 157–137 |
| Bowls | 1–6 |
| Tournaments | 3–5 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2 Big Sky (1989, 1992) 2 Big West (1996–1997) 2 Conference USA (2000–2001) | |
| Awards | |
| |
John Lawrence Smith[1] (born November 15, 1948) is an American college football coach. He was the head football coach at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky, a position he held from 2016 until he was fired by the university in 2018.
Smith was previously the head football coach at the University of Idaho (1989–1994), Utah State University (1995–1997), the University of Louisville (1998–2002), Michigan State University (2003–2006), University of Arkansas (2012), and Fort Lewis College in Colorado (2013–2016). He had been named head coach of his alma mater, Weber State University, after the 2011 season, but left after spring drills to take over at Arkansas following the firing of Bobby Petrino in April 2012. Smith has also been an assistant at multiple programs, most recently at Arkansas under Petrino, where he was in charge of special teams from 2009 to 2011.