Former MU coach dies
Published Jan. 29, 2008
Larry Smith, who coached MU football from 1994 to 2000, led Missouri to their first consecutive bowl games in nearly two decades and ended a streak of 13 straight losing seasons, died Monday in Tucson, Ariz., after years of battling leukemia.
Smith, 68, was diagnosed in 2000 with chronic leukemia on his lymph nodes during his final season as a coach before being replaced by current coach Gary Pinkel.
Smith was also named the 1997 Associated Press Big 12 Coach of the Year for leading the Tigers to an 8-5 record and a win over West Virginia in the Insight.com Bowl, their first bowl victory in 14 years.
He recruited Missouri stars Justin Gage and Corby Jones, the latter of whom called Smith, “an outstanding football coach and an even better man,” according to a news release.
Before compiling a 33-46-1 record at MU, Smith coached at Tulane, Arizona and Southern California.
At USC, he found his greatest success, winning three consecutive Pacific 10 conference championships and achieving a victory in the 1990 Rose Bowl over Michigan.