Missouri and Larry Smith Part Ways
11/19/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 19, 2000
AD Mike Alden's Complete Statement
COLUMBIA, Mo.- Larry Smith, who followed two bowl seasons with two losing seasons, was fired Sunday after seven years as the Tigers' football coach.
He was dismissed by athletic director Mike Alden one day after a 28-24 home loss to Kansas State, ending a 3-8 season. The defeat was the latest embarrassing setback for Missouri, which this year lost to Clemson (62-9), Texas (47-12) and Kansas (38-17).
Smith, who had three years to go on his contract, had a 33-46-1 record at Missouri. His career record is 143-126-7 in 24 seasons, with previous stops at Tulane, Arizona and USC.
Missouri lost all five games it played this year against Top 25 teams. It beat Oklahoma State and Baylor - the Big 12's worst teams - and Division I-AA Western Illinois. Smith was 1-27 against Top 25 teams while at Missouri.
Following Saturday's loss, Smith said he had no plans to resign. He talked optimistically, saying he thought Missouri would have a "great team" next year and discussing recruiting priorities.
In 1997, after 13 consecutive losing seasons at Missouri, Smith guided the Tigers to a 7-5 record and the Holiday Bowl, and was honored as Big 12 coach of the year by The Associated Press.
The next season, Missouri beat West Virginia in the Insight.com Bowl, finishing the year with an 8-4 record - the Tigers' first bowl win since the 1981 Tangerine BowlThe consecutive bowl trips were the first for Missouri since 1980-81.
Those wins made Smith one of only four coaches to take four different teams to a bowl.
But the two stars of the bowl teams, quarterback Corby Jones and running back Devin West, graduated after the 1998 season and Smith was never able to find adequate replacements.
Missouri stumbled to 4-7 in 1999 after quarterback Kirk Farmer broke his leg in midseason. The Tigers lost six of their last seven, including ugly losses to Oklahoma (37-0), Texas A&M (51-14) and Kansas State (66-0).
That prompted Smith to scrap the tailback- and option-oriented offense and hire a new offensive coordinator, Bill Cubit, to run a passing attack.
But Farmer broke his collarbone against Nebraska, leaving the offense to redshirt freshman Darius Outlaw.
Last week, Smith noted that numerous improvements made during his stay - a new practice facility and upgrades at Faurot Field, from a grass field to a new pressbox.
"A lot of people think this program is failing," Smith said. "I don't think it is. I don't think we're doing all that bad."
Several players, including Outlaw and Justin Smith, lobbied after the Kansas State loss for Smith to remain. Justin Smith said earlier in the week he'd turn pro if Larry Smith were fired, but softened that stance Saturday.
"I've still got to weigh my options, but that would be a major factor," Justin Smith said. "If he left, I'd really have to consider leaving."
By DAVID SCOTT Associated Press Writer
