John L. Smith Agrees To New Contract
November 29, 2000 | Football
Nov. 29, 2000
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- University of Louisville head football coach John L. Smith has agreed to terms on a new eight-year contract to remain the Cardinals' gridiron boss. The eight-year deal replaces an extension Smith agreed to following the 1998 season and will make him U of L's head coach through the 2008 season.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"We knew all along that John L. and his staff were a special group and we wanted to make sure they stay a part of the Cardinal family," said Director of Athletics Tom Jurich. "John L. and his staff have built this program the right way and other universities see that. This is our way of helping to assure John L. will be our head football coach for a long, long time."
In just three seasons, Smith and his staff have turned the fortunes of Cardinal football around in a hurry.
U of L has posted a 23-12 record (.657) in Smith's first three seasons at the helm while advancing to post-season bowl games following all three campaigns.
"Not only does this agreement give my family and I stability but my coaching staff and their families as well," said Smith. "I've said all along that we haven't taken this program where we want it to be year after year.
"We're not talking about one conference championship, we're talking about conference championships. It's not about a brief appearance in the Top 25, it's about being there week after week, year after year."
The recently announced 2000 Conference USA Coach of the Year took over a Cardinal program which went 1-10 in 1997 and, in just three seasons, had his team celebrating the program's first C-USA title. The Cards' 2000 edition finished the regular season with a 9-2 overall mark (6-1 in C-USA). U of L currently ranked 22nd by the Associated Press and 23rd by the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll.
A program that lived off an explosive offense in Smith's first two seasons, U of L showed tremendous improvement on the defensive side of the football in 2000. The Cardinals jumped from 89th nationally in 1999 in total defense to the No. 15 spot this past season including a No. 4 ranking against the run.
U of L also topped the nation's Division I-A teams forcing 37 turnovers in 2000 including 27 interceptions.
Among the 27 interceptions were sophomore safety Anthony Floyd's school record 10 picks. Floyd went on to earn all-C-USA honors and was named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation All-America Team a week ago.
The Cardinal offense showed little, if any, dropoff from the past two campaigns, averaging more than 35 points a contest.
Led by sophomore quarterback and C-USA Offensive Player of the Year Dave Ragone, the Cardinal offense scored 38 or more points in seven of 11 games in 2000.
A well-conditioned Cardinal team proved to be a second half ballclub in 2000, outscoring their opposition 216-93 over the final 30 minutes of games this season.
Smith and the Cardinals will take the field again on Dec. 29 taking on the Colorado State Rams in the AXA Liberty Bowl.
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