Herbert L. Smith
| Playing career | |
|---|---|
| 1927 | Michigan State Normal |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1929–1941 | Cooley HS (MI) |
| 1946–1947 | Wayne (assistant) |
| 1948 | Wayne |
| 1949–1954 | Wayne (assistant) |
| 1955–1959 | Wayne / Wayne State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 19–21–3 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 PAC (1956) | |
Herbert L. Smith was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan in 1948 and from 1955 to 1959, compiling a record of 19–21–3.[1]
Biography
Smith played college football at Michigan State Normal College—now known as Eastern Michigan University.[2] In 1929, he became the head coach at Detroit's Cooley High School.[3] He served in the United States Navy during World War II. He joined the Wayne State coaching staff as an assistant in 1946. He was promoted to head coach in 1948, but only took the job on a one-year basis.[4] He was replaced by Lou Zarza and remained on staff as an assistant. Zarza was fired after the 1954 season and Smith was once again elevated to head coach.[5] He stopped coaching due to illness in 1960, but remained a member of Wayne State's faculty until his retirement in 1967. He died on February 25, 1981 in Houghton, Michigan.[6]
Head coaching record
College
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Tartars (Independent) (1948) | |||||||||
| 1948 | Wayne | 4–4 | |||||||
| Wayne / Wayne State Tartars (Presidents' Athletic Conference) (1955–1959) | |||||||||
| 1955 | Wayne | 1–5–1 | 1–3–1 | 4th | |||||
| 1956 | Wayne State | 4–2–1 | 3–0–1 | 1st | |||||
| 1957 | Wayne State | 4–3 | 2–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1958 | Wayne State | 2–4–1 | 2–1–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 1959 | Wayne State | 4–3 | 4–1 | T–2nd | |||||
| Wayne: | 19–21–3 | 12–6–3 | |||||||
| Total: | 19–21–3 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
References
- ^ "2015 Complete Football Media Guide". Wayne State Warriors football. 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
- ^ "Records" (PDF). Eastern Michigan Eagles football. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
- ^ "Hackett Wayne Football Pilot". The New York Times. April 4, 1946.
- ^ "Smith Appoinred Wayne U. Coach". St. Petersburg Times. June 24, 1948. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
- ^ "Wayne Football Coach Is Fired". Schenectady Gazette. December 22, 1954. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
- ^ "Deaths Elsewhere: Herbert Smith". Toledo Blade. February 26, 1981. Retrieved November 23, 2025.