Andrew Latham Smith (September 10, 1883 – January 8, 1926) was an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
(1909–1912),
Purdue University
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...
(1913–1915), and the
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
(1916–1925), compiling a career
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
record of 116–32–13. As head coach of the
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football program represents the University of California, Berkeley in college football as a member of the Pac-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I, NCAA Division I FBS level. The team plays its home games at Californi ...
program, Smith guided his "Wonder Teams" to a record of 74–16–7, captured five
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pac-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, with eight of the ten PCC members (including a ...
titles, and three
national championships
A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best team, indi ...
.
[ Smith was the winningest football coach in school history until he was surpassed by ]Jeff Tedford
Jeffrey Raye Tedford (born November 2, 1961) is an American football coach and former player who is currently serving as the head coach at Fresno State, a position which he also previously held from 2017 to 2019. From 2002 to 2012, Tedford was th ...
in 2011. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...
in 1951.
Early life
Andrew Latham Smith was born in Dubois, Pennsylvania
DuBois ( ) is a city and the most populous community in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. DuBois is located approximately northeast of Pittsburgh. The population was 7,510 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the ...
on September 10, 1883. As a freshman, he played for Penn State #Redirect Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campu ...
as a fullback. He shined at his position, both fearless and dominating on the field. In two years, he was convinced to transfer to Pennsylvania, then a superior program. There, in his senior season of 1904
Events
January
* January 7 – The distress signal ''CQD'' is established, only to be replaced 2 years later by ''SOS''.
* January 8 – The Blackstone Library is dedicated, marking the beginning of the Chicago Public Library system.
* ...
, he was named first-team All America for the national champion Quakers. After college, he entered the workforce with a degree in chemistry
Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...
.
Coaching career
Early coaching career
Smith returned to Penn in 1905
As the second year of the massive Russo-Japanese War begins, more than 100,000 die in the largest world battles of that era, and the war chaos leads to the 1905 Russian Revolution against Nicholas II of Russia (Shostakovich's 11th Symphony i ...
as the coach of the freshmen team and in 1909
Events
January–February
* January 4 – Explorer Aeneas Mackintosh of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition escaped death by fleeing across ice floes.
* January 7 – Colombia recognizes the independence of Panama.
* Januar ...
, when he was 26, he became the head coach of Penn until 1912. During those four years Smith had 30 wins, 10 losses and 3 ties. Following this success he switched to Purdue
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...
in 1913
Events January
* January 5 – First Balkan War: Battle of Lemnos (1913), Battle of Lemnos – Greek admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis forces the Turkish fleet to retreat to its base within the Dardanelles, from which it will not ven ...
, where until 1915
Events
Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix.
January
* January – British physicist Sir Joseph Larmor publishes his observations on "The Influence of Local Atmospheric Cooling on Astronomical Refraction".
*January 1 ...
, he went 12–6–3.
Cal and the "Wonder Teams"
The University of California had fielded a competitive football team since 1886. However, in 1906 it began playing rugby instead of football. This was because by that time football was considered a dangerous sport that could lead to serious injuries. California switched back to football in 1915, partly due to the fact that by that time rule changes made the game considerably safer. Due to his reputation, Smith was recruited to come out west and became the first head coach of California's golden era.
In 1916, his first year at Cal, Smith posted 6 wins, 4 losses and 3 ties. In 1918, Cal won its first Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pac-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, with eight of the ten PCC members (including a ...
(PCC) championship. Also in 1918 Smith hired future Cal football and basketball head coach Clarence Nibs Price as his assistant. Price had a southern California connection and was able to recruit key players to the team including Harold "Brick" Muller. The 1919 freshmen team went 11-1 and became the core of next year's varsity squad, to be known as the " Wonder Team." The 1920 Golden Bears team won all 9 games, outscored their opponents, 510 to 14, and capped off the season by defeating Ohio State
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
in the Tournament of Roses East-West Game (now known as the Rose Bowl) 28–0. The NCAA has officially recognized them as the national champion of that season, the first from the Pacific Coast. "The Wonder Team at California in 1920 changed the entire picture of Western football."
Next year the 1921 Golden Bears also finished undefeated and were again invited to play in the Rose Bowl. Smith initially declined this invitation because he thought it was problematic that Cal's opponent, a little known team named the Washington and Jefferson Presidents, had players better than the average college, and at the same time had scholarship requirements well below California's.[ Eventually Smith agreed to the match. With California being the overwhelming favorite, the match went nothing like it was expected. Because of the heavy rain the night before, it was played in a virtual mud pit. Both defenses were able to hold off their opponents and the game finished in a 0–0 tie.] This Rose Bowl was Smith's last.
The 1922 team was also undefeated and won the PCC. And same with the 1923 team. Both years the teams were invited to the Rose Bowl, however because of Smith's continuing disputes with the Rose Bowl committee, California declined both invitations. Like the 1920 team, the 1921 and 1922 teams are recognized as a national champion by the NCAA. On January 1, 1925, instead of the Rose Bowl, the 1924 Bears played an independently scheduled game against Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
at California's Memorial Stadium. Cal had 7 wins, 0 losses, and 2 ties, while 1924 Penn had 9 wins and 1 tie. Some consider Penn to be the best team of that year. California won that game 14–0. During an incredible five-season span from 1920 to 1924, Smith's "Wonder Teams" went undefeated, running up a record of 44 wins, 0 losses and 4 ties.[
Even though the two had never met during the ]Roaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties, sometimes stylized as Roaring '20s, refers to the 1920s decade in music and fashion, as it happened in Western society and Western culture. It was a period of economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge in the U ...
, Smith's "Wonder Teams" are thought to rival Knute Rockne's Notre Dame teams. Furthermore, when in 1960 the Helms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation, founded in 1936, was a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to the promotion of athletics and sportsmanship. Paul H. Helms was the organization's founder and benefactor, funding the foundation via his ownership ...
considered both the Wonder Teams and the Four Horsemen
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are figures in the Christian scriptures, first appearing in the Book of Revelation, a piece of apocalypse literature written by John of Patmos.
Revelation 6 tells of a book or scroll in God's right hand tha ...
among others, it crowned the 1920 Cal Bears as the greatest football team in American history.
Strategy and approach to coaching
Smith said: "There are four mental qualifications necessary for success -- Aggressiveness, Obedience, Concentration and Determination. Add to this, Harmonious co-operation and you have the making of a real team." Always tough on his players, Smith drilled them until a technique was perfected regardless of the time that it took. Despite this, his players were known to idolize Smith, for they felt his respect towards them and his commitment to the team.
"Kick and wait for the breaks"
Smith's strategy is encapsulated in a motto: "Kick and wait for the breaks." He became known for his emphasis on the kicking game and defense-oriented strategy out of the short punt formation
The short punt formation is an older formation on both offense and defense in American football, popular when scoring was harder and a good punt was itself an offensive weapon.Retyl, Richard U-M's Shotgun Offense is Older than the Winged Helmets T ...
. During this era, the ball was often moved up the field not through offensive plays, but rather through punting. For Smith this was standard when the ball was held deep in one's territory. And once the opposing team got the ball, the defense was relied on to make the other team's offense lose yards or fumble. To confuse the opponent, the punting could be done on first or second downs. If the opponent's safeties
Safety is the condition of being protected against harmful conditions or events, or the control of hazards to reduce risk.
Safety may also refer to:
Places
* Safety Island, Antarctica
Government
* The Internet Stopping Adults Facilitating the ...
were close to the line of scrimmage, anticipating a short pass or a run, then the ball could be kicked over their heads resulting in a longer punt. This was repeated until a breakthrough play like a long yard rush would eventually occur and flip the field position. It was not uncommon for a team to kick more than 40 punts a game.
Smith also became known for trick play
A trick play, also known as a gadget play, gimmick play or trickeration, is a play in gridiron football that uses deception and unorthodox tactics to fool the opposing team. A trick play is often risky, offering the potential for a large gain or ...
s such as the now-classic lateral to the halfback followed by a long, forward pass
In several forms of football, a forward pass is the throwing of the ball in the direction in which the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line. The forward pass is one of the main distinguishers between gridiron ...
. At the time, because of the plump, rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sport
* Rugby football in many forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** Rugby union: 1 ...
-like ball
A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but can sometimes be ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used f ...
, long passes were unanticipated. Brick Muller, both an offensive and defensive star of the Wonder Teams, became known for this play. His 50-yard passes were previously thought impossible.
Death and legacy
While in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
shortly after the 1925
Events January
* January 1
** The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria.
* January 3 – Benito Mussolini makes a pivotal speech in the Italia ...
season, Smith was hospitalized with pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
. Several weeks later on January 8, 1926, he died at age 42 at the University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
. He left no family, all of his $30,000 estate going to the Berkeley community, including the Elks Club, California chapter of his fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and California Skull & Keys Society, with $10,000 going towards football scholarships.
Smith's memorial service was held on January 16 at the gates of California Memorial Stadium
California Memorial Stadium also known simply and commonly as Memorial Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium on the west coast of the United States, located on the campus of the University of California in Berkeley, California. It is ...
, and in accordance with his wishes, his ashes were scattered over the stadium field. In 1927, the Andy Smith Bench on the sideline was dedicated in his honor. Built in 1923, the stadium is still known as "The House that Andy built" because the Wonder Teams' season tickets completely paid for it. Smith was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...
in 1951.
Both of the following quotes are inscribed on the Memorial Stadium's Andy Smith Bench -
* "We do not want men who will lie down bravely to die, but men who will fight valiantly to live" and
* "Winning is not everything; it is far better to play the game squarely and lose than to win at the sacrifice of an ideal."
The first was Andy Smith's coaching creed and the second was reportedly said by him during his last interview in Philadelphia.
In 1949, Garff Wilson, Professor of Dramatic Art and Speech, was asked to write a eulogy for Andy Smith, which was delivered by the ASUC President at the annual Big Game Bonfire Rally. Since then, the Andy Smith Eulogy has been delivered annually by candlelight at the conclusion of the bonfire.
Coaching tree
Smith often hired his former players as his assistant coaches. Walter Gordon who played on both offensive and defensive line
Line most often refers to:
* Line (geometry), object with zero thickness and curvature that stretches to infinity
* Telephone line, a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system
Line, lines, The Line, or LINE may also refer to:
Arts ...
s and became a third-team All American in 1918. Shortly after graduating, he was hired as an assistant coach and likely became the first African-American coach at a predominantly white college or university. Similarly, after graduating Brick Muller was hired by Smith to coach the defensive ends.
Smith's coaching tree
A coaching tree is similar to a family tree except it shows the relationships of coaches instead of family members. There are several ways to define a relationship between two coaches. The most common way to make the distinction is if a coach work ...
includes:
# Ernest Cozens
# Charles F. Erb
#Walter A. Gordon
Walter Arthur Gordon (October 10, 1894 – April 2, 1976) was the first African American to receive a JD from University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He had an extremely long and varied career where he served as a police officer, lawye ...
# Edwin C. Horrell
# Leroy Mercer
# Brick Muller
#Alvin Pierson
Alvin Peter "Pix" Pierson (1898 – 1974) was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Fresno State College—now known as California State University, Fresno—in 1945 and again in 1949, compiling a ...
#Nibs Price
Clarence Merle "Nibs" Price (April 26, 1889 – January 13, 1968) was a basketball and American football coach. After coaching at San Diego High School, he served as the head football coach at the University of California, Berkeley from 1926 to 1 ...
#Crip Toomey
Irving Francis "Crip" Toomey (November 10, 1895 – June 28, 1961) was an American football and baseball player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he pl ...
Head coaching record
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Andy
1883 births
1926 deaths
American football fullbacks
California Golden Bears football coaches
Penn Quakers football coaches
Penn Quakers football players
Purdue Boilermakers football coaches
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
People from Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
Players of American football from Pennsylvania
Penn State Nittany Lions football players
All-American college football players