Ex-Vandals Coach Revisits His Past When Utah State Entertains Idaho

It was rarely boring when John L. Smith coached the University of Idaho football team from 1989-94.

Nothing’s changed now that Smith is at Utah State.

He’s still putting out good teams, still occasionally sticking his ostrich-skin cowboy boots into his mouth, still working insane hours, still too brutally honest to dismiss as a flake.

In this week’s Game of the Year, Idaho (3-3 overall, 1-0 Big West) visits Smith’s Aggies (4-4, 2-0) to help decipher the conference pecking order. Game time in Logan on Saturday is 1:05 PDT.

“Just another game,” said Smith, successfully muffling both his laughter and true feelings.

Smith will look over at Idaho’s sidelines and see former staffers Nick Holt, Greg Olson, Jim Senter and Todd Hoiness. He’ll see nearly 30 Vandals players he recruited before leaving for Utah State two Januarys ago.

“I regretted (leaving Idaho) for the first year when my daughter (Kayse) wouldn’t talk to me,” Smith joked. “No, really, it was time to move.”

That timeline was pushed up when Smith and then athletic director Pete Liske had a falling out, when Idaho fluctuated about joining the Big West and when Smith realized there would be fewer headaches at Utah State (I-A status, resources, facilities - though a long-anticipated new practice facility remains on the drawing board).

Smith declines to address reasons for his departure. That’s rare, because Smith always has spoken his mind.

“He’s still as ornery as ever,” said Art Valero, former Vandal and current Utah State assistant. “He hasn’t changed a lick, minus a few more hairs.”

Smith last week made headlines in Boise when he popped off prior to his Aggies defeating Boise State 39-14. He called Bronco Stadium’s blue turf a “desecration” and BSU quarterback Tony Hilde “a greasy little crapper.”

Of course, four years ago Smith called a reporter and complained about the lack of hype leading up to a BSU-UI game. To spruce things up, Smith fired an opening salvo: “I was looking at a piece of land in McCall, but when I found out (former Boise State coach) Skip Hall owned the property two doors down, I had to turn it down.”

“I kind of put my foot in my mouth (last week), which is pretty normal for me,” Smith said. “I can’t keep my mouth shut during Boise week.”

More serious are the charges levied by Utah and Brigham Young.

Utah coach Ron McBride claimed Utah State players purposely tried to injure Ute players by grabbing their groins. Brigham Young also accused the Aggies of dirty play.

Said BYU’s mild-mannered quarterback Steve Sarkisian: “I really don’t have much respect for that team over there.”

Added BYU cornerback Ben Cook: “It was the most dirtily played game I’ve seen.”

Rebutted Smith: “Just look at the officials’ report (of the BYU game) at who had the most penalties and personal fouls. That’s the pot calling the kettle black. Look who’s leading the WAC in penalties.”

Idaho coach Chris Tormey, who was an assistant with Smith on Dennis Erickson’s staff in the early 1980s, has chosen to wait until Saturday before commenting.

“We haven’t played them yet,” he said, “so I don’t know if they’re dirty or not.”

Smith can’t seem to stay out of paper and he doesn’t much care.

Shortly after Smith arrived at Utah State, a player purge followed.

“They were entrenched in how the other (coach) did things,” Valero said. “The first thing we had to do was change attitudes.”

Two years ago, Smith said USU’s talent level wasn’t on par with Idaho’s.

“It’s just conjecture, but we would have had a tough road” if USU played Idaho last year, Smith said. Has Utah State caught up or passed UI? “In some areas, yes. In some areas no,” Smith said. “We’ve got some good skill kids.”

Some of Idaho’s skill players, including wide receiver Robert Scott, considered joining Smith in Logan two years ago.

“At first, I wanted to go,” Scott said, “but then I talked to the coaches who stayed here, coach Olson, Holt, Senter, Hoiness, and decided to stay.”

UI players aren’t bothering to try to downplay the matchup with their former coach.

“It’s exciting and motivating at the same time,” UI running back Joel Thomas said. “I’m sure he had reasons for going. But we need to take care of business.”

“I have the utmost respect for John L. and all of their coaches,” said receiver David Griffin, “but there ain’t going to be any love when we hit the field.”

Smith’s love of coaching remains unchanged. Earlier this week, his staff chuckled at an article in a Boise paper on BSU coach Tom Mason’s work day lasting from 7 a.m. to 10:43 p.m.

“We’re working on the second of three Big Gulps at that time,” Valero said.

In preparing for Idaho, Smith’s troops were at the office until 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday.

Smith, having coached many of the Vandals, knows Saturday’s game will be intense.

“There’s not a better player than Ryan Phillips in the conference. We don’t have players that good, like Phillips and (Barry) Mitchell,” Smith said.

“They’re going to come in and compete. That’s the way that program was constructed. That’s what they did against Nevada Reno (in a 24-15 win last Saturday). They played harder and Reno got their tails kicked.”

Then Smith asked if he might be permitted to give Idaho its halftime speech on Saturday.

Not likely was the reply.

“OK, then I’ll just talk to their players after the game.”

, DataTimes