Lovie Smith
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| Lovie Smith | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Date of birth | May 8, 1958 (age 48) |
| Place of birth |  Gladewater, Texas |
| Position(s) | Head Coach |
| College | Tulsa |
| Career Highlights | |
| Awards | AP NFL COY (2005) PFW NFL COY (2005) |
| Career Record | 31-21-0 (Including 2-2 in the Postseason) |
| Championships Won |
2006 NFC Championship |
| Stats | |
| Coaching Stats | Pro Football Reference |
| Coaching Stats | DatabaseFootball |
| Team(s) as a coach/administrator | |
| 1980 1981-1982 1983-1986 1987 1988-1991 1992 1993-1994 1995 1996-2000 2001-2003 2004-present |
Big Sandy High School (defensive coordinator) Cascia Hall Prep in Tulsa (head coach) University of Tulsa (linebackers coach) University of Wisconsin (linebackers coach) Arizona State University (linebackers coach) University of Kentucky (linebackers coach) University of Tennessee (defensive backs coach) Ohio State University (defensive backs coach) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (linebackers coach) St. Louis Rams (defensive coordinator) Chicago Bears (head coach) |
Lovie Lee Smith (born May 8, 1958 in Gladewater, Texas) is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith narrowly became the first African American coach to lead a team to the Super Bowl, only hours before Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts became the second. Smith has traveled to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006.
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[edit] Earlier life
Smith was raised in Big Sandy, Texas. He was named after his great aunt, Lavana. [1]. During Lovie's high school career in Big Sandy, he earned all-state honors for three years; he was a defensive end and linebacker. His team won three state championships as well. Smith was a linebacker and safety at University of Tulsa and was a two-time All-American.
Smith began coaching at his hometown high school in 1980. He coached the Cascia Hall Preparatory School football team in 1981. By 1983, he began coaching linebackers on the college level, first at his alma mater Tulsa (1983–86), and then at University of Wisconsin (1987), Arizona State University (1988–91), and the University of Kentucky (1992). He also served as defensive backs coach at the University of Tennessee (1993–94), and Ohio State University (1995).
[edit] Professional career
Smith began his professional coaching career as a linebacker coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Under the guidance of Tony Dungy, Smith helped develop the Tampa 2. After spending four years with Buccaneers, Smith was hired as the defensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams under head coach Mike Martz. Under Martz, Lovie helped Saint Louis win the 2001 NFC Championship, and advance to Super Bowl XXXVI, where they ultimately lost to the New England Patriots in one of the biggest Super Bowl upsets of all time.[2]
The Chicago Bears hired Smith in 2004, following the fall-out of Dick Jauron. He struggled during his first season with the Bears, as a streak of injuries gave the Bears a 5-11 record. Despite their poor offense, the Bears’ defense saw some major improvement, rising from 22nd in 2003 to 13th in 2004. History repeated itself again when Bears’ quarterback Rex Grossman injured his ankle during a preseason and missed a majority of the 2005 season.[3][4] Despite Grossman's loss, Smith and Ron Rivera used their defense to earn a 11-5 record, after starting the season with a 1-3 record. The Bears defense also saw addtional improvement, ranking as the second overall defense while allowing the fewest points in the league.
The Bears’ dramatic turn around in the 2005 season. earned Smith national recognition. He won the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year Award that year. After returning to the field following their first round bye, the Bears’ played the Carolina Panthers, with a fully healed Rex Grossman as quarterback. Both the Bears’ offense and defense struggled to keep up with the Panthers, and eventually lost, 29-21. Nevertheless, Smith and the Bears were optimistic about the future.[3]
Smith and the Bears’ management drew skepticism in April 2006, by trading away their first round pick, and drafting five defensive players.[5] His preseason criticism increased when he named Grossman, who struggled to move the Bears’ offense during the preseason, as the Bears starting quarterback. Nevertheless, Grossman led the Bears’ to seven consecutive victories, but later struggled during the later portion of the season. Smith stood by Grossman, despite having to endure criticism from many skeptics. The Bears finished the 2006 season with a 13-3 record, earning the NFC’s top playoff seed. The Bears finished the season with the NFL's second scoring offense, and fifth overall defense.[6]
Smith coached the Bears to a 27-24 victory against the Seattle Seahawks during the 2006 Divisional Playoffs, winning his first playoff game of his career. Later, a 39-14 victory came against the New Orleans Saints at the NFC Championship. Smith became the first African American head coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl, just hours before Tony Dungy, his good friend and mentor, became the second. The friends together became the first two African Americans to head coach a team in the Super Bowl.[7][8]The Bears lost Super Bowl XLI, 29-17, and Smith earned the somewhat dubious honor of being the first African American head coach to lose in the Super Bowl.[9]
After a stalemate in contract negotiations, the Bears signed Smith for a four year contract worth twenty-two million dollars. [1] However, he was forced to part with Rivera after the Bears' management failed to resign him. Additionally, four other members' of Smith's coaching staff parted with the team.[10]
[edit] Personal life
Lovie is an active supporter of the American Diabetes Association (his mother is blind due to diabetes). In addition to participating in various events for the ADA, Smith also donates ten tickets to every Bears’ game to children suffering from diabetes. He and his wife are also the founders of the Lovie and MaryAnne Smith Foundation, a program which donates college tuition funds towards impoverished children.[3]
Lovie and MaryAnne Smith have three children. Their names are Mikal, Matthew, and Miles. They also have twin grandsons named Malachi and Noah.[3]
[edit] Coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| CHI | 2004 | 5 | 11 | 0 | .312 | 4th in NFC North | - | - | - | - |
| CHI | 2005 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 1st in NFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Carolina in Divisional Round |
| CHI | 2006 | 13 | 3 | 0 | .812 | 1st in NFC North | 2 | 1 | .666 | Defeated Seattle in Divisional Playofff Defeated New Orleans in Conference Final Lost to Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLI |
| Total | 29 | 19 | 0 | .604 | 2 | 2 | .500 | |||
| Overall Total | 31 | 21 | 0 | .596 | NFL Championships (0) | |||||
[edit] References
- ^ Soft-spoken guy named Lovie is perfect fit for Bears
- ^ Biggest Super Bowl Upsets: Will The Hawks Join This List?
- ^ a b c d Coach - Chicago Bears (English).
- ^ Lovie Smith coaching record
- ^ Ask David Haugh
- ^ 2006 Chicago Bears statistics
- ^ Super comeback: Colts rally to stun Patriots
- ^ Lovie Smith feels blessed after win, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 01/22/2007
- ^ Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17 (English)
- ^ Smith, Angelo sign long-term contract extensions
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Dick Jauron |
Chicago Bears Head Coaches 2004–present |
Succeeded by Current coach |
| Preceded by ' |
St. Louis Rams Defensive Coordinator 2001-2003 |
Succeeded by Larry Marmie |
| Preceded by Marty Schottenheimer |
NFL Coach of the Year Award 2005 |
Succeeded by Sean Payton |
| Chicago Bears Head Coaches |
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| Current Head Coaches of the National Football League | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| American Football Conference | |||
| East | North | South | West |
| Jauron (Buffalo) | Billick (Baltimore) | Kubiak (Houston) | Shanahan (Denver) |
| Cameron (Miami) | Lewis (Cincinnati) | Dungy (Indianapolis) | Edwards (Kansas City) |
| Belichick (New England) | Crennel (Cleveland) | Del Rio (Jacksonville) | Kiffin (Oakland) |
| Mangini (NY Jets) | Tomlin (Pittsburgh) | Fisher (Tennessee) | Turner (San Diego) |
| National Football Conference | |||
| East | North | South | West |
| Phillips (Dallas) | Smith (Chicago) | Petrino (Atlanta) | Whisenhunt (Arizona) |
| Coughlin (NY Giants) | Marinelli (Detroit) | Fox (Carolina) | Linehan (St. Louis) |
| Reid (Philadelphia) | McCarthy (Green Bay) | Payton (New Orleans) | Nolan (San Francisco) |
| Gibbs (Washington) | Childress (Minnesota) | Gruden (Tampa Bay) | Holmgren (Seattle) |
Categories: 1958 births | Living people | American football linebackers | University of Tulsa alumni | Tulsa Golden Hurricane football players | Tulsa Golden Hurricane football coaches | Wisconsin Badgers football coaches | Arizona State Sun Devils football coaches | Kentucky Wildcats football coaches | Tennessee Volunteers football coaches | Ohio State Buckeyes football coaches | Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaches | St. Louis Rams coaches | Chicago Bears coaches | American Christians
