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USC Football: Top 10 coaches in program history

By Quinn Douglas

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 05: Coach Pete Carroll of the USC Trojans leads his team to the field prior to the start of the NCAA college football game against Arizona Wildcats at the Los Angeles Coliseum on December 5, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 05: Coach Pete Carroll of the USC Trojans leads his team to the field prior to the start of the NCAA college football game against Arizona Wildcats at the Los Angeles Coliseum on December 5, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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9 Sep 2000: Head Coach Larry Smith of the Missouri Tigers shouts from the sideline during the game against the Clemson Tigers at Frank Howard Field in Clemson, South Carolina. Clemson defeated Missouri 62-7.Mandatory Credit: Craig Jones /Allsport
9 Sep 2000: Head Coach Larry Smith of the Missouri Tigers shouts from the sideline during the game against the Clemson Tigers at Frank Howard Field in Clemson, South Carolina. Clemson defeated Missouri 62-7.Mandatory Credit: Craig Jones /Allsport /

7. Larry Smith: 1987-1992

Career Record: 44-25-3

Awards and Accolades: 1987-’89 Pac-10 Champions, 1989 Rose Bowl Champions

Larry Smith is name that is generally forgotten among the Trojan faithful but he did harbor moderate success in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Smith played his college football at Bowling Green and played end from 1959 to 1961. Following graduation, Smith got into coaching at Shawnee High School in Lima, Ohio. He then spent two seasons as an assistant for Bo Schembechler at Miami of Ohio and followed him to Michigan and spent four years as offensive line coach.

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Smith then joined the staff at Arizona as defensive coordinator in 1973 and held the job until 1976, when he was hired as head coach at Tulane. In his four seasons with the Green Wave, they compiled and 18-27 record and in 1980, Smith returned to Arizona. In seven years leading the Wildcats, his record stood at 48-28-3 and following the 1986 season, was hired by USC as their next football coach.

His first three years in Los Angeles were a booming success, winning three consecutive Pac-10 titles, culminating in a Rose Bowl victory in 1989. His final three seasons were not as successful as the first three, with the low point being a 3-8 season in 1991. Smith rebounded with a 6-5-1 record in 1992, but it was ultimately not enough to save his job as he was fired following their bowl game.

Smith went on to coach seven more seasons with the Missouri Tigers, compiling an overall record of 33-46-1 before his firing after the 2000 season. He retired from coaching following the 2000 season and passed away in January 2008.

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