Bio

Gene Smith, III transferred to Missouri Valley prior to the 1972 football season, but started his football career as a Viking during the 1973 season. Originally a fullback, Gene was asked by Head Coach Ken Gibler to switch to offensive lineman, and became a key piece on two Heart of America Athletic Conference championship teams, and the 1974 National runner-up team. Gibler honored Smith for making the position change by giving him the No. 63 jersey, which was Gibler’s jersey number during his playing days. In addition to the team’s success, Smith was a two-time all-conference and all-district selection, and named Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman on the team, in both 1974 and 1975. Smith was also an honorable mention All-America selection in 1975. Smith was also active in the V-Club, and was Sargent at Arms in 1974 and 1975.

After graduation, Smith, his wife, Janis, and their two children moved back to his hometown in Staten Island, N.Y., and he began working in construction for International Union of Elevator Constructors Local One. In his 20 years of working as a foreman, Smith worked on construction sites at Battery Park City, and worked on the 1976 renovation of the Statue of Liberty. Starting in 1994, Smith began his lifelong goal of teaching and coaching football at the high school level. Smith enjoyed success at Benedictine (Va.) Catholic High School in Richmond, Va., where he won two straight state titles, in 2000 and 2001. He then went back to Staten Island, where he began coaching at Moore Catholic (N.Y.) High School, and won the CHSFL AA Tri-State Championship in 2004. He was a two-time Coach of the Year winner in Virginia, in 2000 and 2001, and was the New York Daily News SI Coach of the Year in 2004.
Smith retired from teaching and coaching in 2017 and moved in Ocala, Fla.

Smith looks back fondly at his time at Missouri Valley, after making many lasting friendships during his time at the college. He credits Gibler as being very inspirational to his success in coaching.