St. Thomas Aquinas’ (Fla.) Smith Retires With 361 Wins

February 15, 2011 /

NBCMiami.com (Fla.)

After 34 years on the sidelines, St. Thomas Aquinas football coach George Smith announced his retirement Monday. 

He started coaching the Raiders in 1972, with a brief retirement from 1992-1994, but during that time produced some of the most gifted football talent the state has ever seen.

Smith amassed a career record of 361-66 at St. Thomas, including six state championships and two “mythical national championships” in 2008 and 2010. His teams played for another seven state championships. Smith was named USA Today’s National High School Football Coach of the Year in 2008.

To put Smith’s win-loss record in perspective, former Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson, the winningest coach in Division I college football history, had a record of 408-165-15. Smith’s career winning percentage of .845 far outpaces Robinson’s .707 winning percentage.

Smith turned St. Thomas into a college football farm team, sending nearly 600 players to the college ranks, according to the AP. A staggering 30 of his former players reached the NFL, the most famous of which, Michael Irvin, is in the Hall of Fame. Smith may yet send more alumni to the NFL, as the University of Miami’s Leonard Hankerson, a class of 2006 grad, is expected to be selected in the upcoming NFL draft.

St. Thomas defensive coordinator Rocco Casullo has been appointed head coach in Smith’s place. St. Thomas principal Tina Jones said in a press release this afternoon, “George Smith has been an outstanding mentor and coach to our young people. While it is sad to see this football giant move off the field, we are excited about the joy and benefits so many more athletes will continue to receive.”


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