John L. Smith moves home to Louisville, Kentucky
In this week’s version of “where are they now”, Rick Bozich of the The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky spoke with former Michigan State head coach John L. Smith about his family’s recent move back to the Bluegrass State. Smith’s wife Di played a large role in choosing where the family would finally settle down. The Smiths plan to make the Louisville area their permanent hometown even if Smith is hired to coach again elsewhere.
This upcoming season he’ll be scouting opponents for the NFL’s St. Louis Rams. It will be the first fall since 1989 that Smith will not be a team’s head football coach. He hopes to return to the college game in the near future.
We wish both he and his family the best of luck in the future.
John L. Smith does not remember how many times he has asked his wife, Diana, to pack their three children and belongings and follow him in moves from Utah to Nevada to Louisville and other schools here, there and way over there.
“A bunch,” Smith said. “I’m sure Di knows exactly how many times.”
Di Smith (her preferred name) does know. It’s more than a bunch — 25 times since 1971.
The first 24 were strictly John L.’s call. That’s how it works when a coach grinds his way from a first-year graduate assistant’s spot at Weber State in Ogden, Utah, to the multimillion-dollar head coaching position at Michigan State.
But last November, after John L. was told he would not coach the final two years of his six-year contract at Michigan State, Di Smith quarterbacked Move No. 25. Her call was Louisville.