The Bizarre Year of John L. Smith

Nov 23, 2012; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John L Smith stands behind his team during a time out during a game against the Louisiana State Tigers at Donald W. Reynolds Stadium. LSU defeated Arkansas 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Beth Hall-USA TODAY Sports

A period was put on a very long and very bizarre chapter of John L. Smith’s book today, when the interim Arkansas head coach settled a fraudulent transfer case that was an undercurrent of the Razorbacks’ lost 2012.

That Smith was at Arkansas’ helm through such a tumultuous time was oddly fitting.

A little over a year ago, John L. Smith was getting back into the head coaching ranks. His run at Michigan State was unremarkable, save his memorable sideline interview against Ohio State in 2005…

…or his self-slap after losing to Notre Dame in 2006.

John L Smith Slap

Both instances crystallized a four-year run in East Lansing, wherein the Spartans finished below .500 three times. But after six years removed from head coaching, three of which were spent helping to reinvigorate the Arkansas Razorbacks, 2012 was time for John L. Smith to get back to it.

His alma mater, Weber State, came calling.

“I am thrilled to come back to Weber State and I am grateful for this tremendous opportunity to coach the Wildcats,” Smith said in his introductory press conference. “There are so many strong things in place at Weber State; I just look forward to adding to them and building on the success of the Wildcat football program.”

Just a few months later, he expressed nearly identical sentiment: “I am tremendously excited to have this special opportunity to return to Arkansas and lead the Razorback football program.”

Around the same time Smith was singing Weber State’s praises, the team in Fayetteville was preparing for a historic campaign. With quarterback Tyler Wilson returning, talented running back Knile Davis making his way back from injury and a schedule that saw both Alabama and LSU visit D.W.R. Razorback Stadium, the very real possibility of the Hogs winning their first conference championship since the 1989 Southwest crown powered Arkansas into spring practices.

Bobby Petrino instilled new confidence and elevated expectations for a program that had never won an SEC championship. Coming off a Cotton Bowl win and his second 10-plus-win season, seemingly little could derail Petrino.

Of course, he was, both figuratively and literally. Petrino’s firing is one of the more bizarre in recent memory, and left Arkansas scrambling at a most inopportune time.

Choosing an interim was going to be difficult; Jeff Long and Co. were best served finding a coach familiar with the Razorback players and Petrino’s system, who could make the transition as seamless as possible. And that was the rumored move — albeit, the target was Garrick McGee, who left a few months prior to be the head coach at UAB.

McGee stayed true to UAB, and how Arkansas might have fared with him last season is one of those great what-ifs. But some of what made McGee an intriguing possibility was true for Smith.

Smith and Petrino had a relationship. It was Smith who gave Petrino his first offensive coordinator opportunity at Utah State, and later Louisville. Petrino took over for Smith at UL when the latter departed for Michigan State. Smith got back into coaching to work with Petrino. There couldn’t be a more obvious or more smooth temporary fix under the circumstances.

At least, that was the perception. Throughout 2012, Arkansas football had its perception shattered over and over again. Murphy’s Law was replaced by Petrino’s Law.

A team that had garnered realistic consideration for the SEC championship went 4-8, losing to a Sun Belt opponent; dropping a home game to a Big East team; and getting absolutely destroyed by divisional rivals Texas A&M, Alabama and Mississippi State along the way.

The disastrous campaign might make one believe in fate, as Smith’s original destination, Weber State, limped to a 2-9 finish without him. Perhaps on-field strife was destined for him.

The legal and financial troubles of John L. Smith, as well as the passing of brother, outweighed anything transpiring on the field. The coupled frustration of an embattled team and real-life struggles bubbled over into yet another memorable media meltdown.

The “smile” tirade is the most enduring moment of Smith and Arkansas’ trying past year.

But after so much turmoil, today’s decision is a victory for Smith. Per Arkansas Business, he owes $165,000 in cash and $650,000 in property — a hefty total to be sure, but a far cry from the $18 million in debt Arkansas Business reports creditors sued to prevent him from discharging.

With this chapter now finished, John L. Smith can hopefully move on. And for Arkansas, the confounding past year can become a footnote in program history.