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Former Arkansas coach John L. Smith lands at Fort Lewis College

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Former Arkansas and Idaho head coach John L. Smith has a new job with Division II Fort Lewis College, reports the Durango Herald.

Fort Lewis College is located in Durango, Colo. and Smith will start work March 1 as their new head coach. Smith replaces Cesar Rivas-Sandoval, who was 6-25 in his three years at the school.

Smith was hired at Arkansas after the school fired Bobby Petrino. The Razorbacks went 4-8 in 2012 after starting the preseason ranked in the top 10. The school had originally given Smith a 10-month contract and Smith’s fate was likely sealed when Arkansas lost to Louisiana-Monroe in September.  Smith’s overall record is 136-93 in 19 seasons as a head coach.

“We are extremely fortunate to have a coach with the tremendous background and experience that John L. brings to Fort Lewis College,” said Fort Lewis athletic director Gary Hunter said.

“Fort Lewis College is making a commitment to football. Many of our other programs have reached the pinnacle of success at the national and regional levels. We want our football alumni and fans to have the opportunity to enjoy that same success.”


  • Published On Jan 17, 2013
  • John L. Smith’s bankruptcy filing shows $500 in his checking account

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    Another day, another John L. Smith headline. Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today obtained a copy of the happy Arkansas coach‘s recent bankruptcy filing, which shows that Smith has $25.7 million in liabilities and just $1.2 million in assets, mostly in retirement accounts.

    The documents claim that Smith had only $300 cash on hand and just $500 in his checking account on the date of the filing, Sept. 6. The coach said in July that he lost a lot of money on bad real-estate deals, with one claim against him for $20 million.

    Smith’s only real property is a quarter share, worth $2,000, in an eight-acre plot in Idaho owned by his deceased parents.

    Among his monthly expenses is nearly $12,000 to Mushtaque Juneja, a Louisville anesthesiologist who also develops commercial real estate.


  • Published On Sep 20, 2012
  • Video: Arkansas coach John L. Smith wants reporters to ‘SMILE!’

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    Arkansas interim coach John L. Smith has a reputation for being, shall we say, colorful when put in front of a microphone, and Monday was no exception. Despite coming off a 52-0 shellacking by Alabama that was one of the worst home losses in school history, Smith was in no mood to wallow.

    In case you missed it, here are his introductory remarks: “You guys act like it’s — pick it up a little bit. OK? Get your chin up. Smile! SMILE! OK? Dang, you guys … all right? If not, I’M NOT TALKING.”

    And, of course, here’s the video:

    Not quite Allen Iverson’s rant about practice, but then again, Smith is a 63-year-old coach.


  • Published On Sep 19, 2012


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