About Herbert L. Smith
Herbert L. Smith was an american football player.
Herbert L. Smith was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan in 1948 and from 1955 to 1959, compiling a record of 19–21–3.
Biography Smith played college football at Michigan State Normal College—now known as Eastern Michigan University. In 1929, he became the head coach at Detroit's Cooley High School. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. He joined the Wayne State coaching staff as an assistant in 1946. He was promoted to head coach in 1948, but only took the job on a one-year basis. He was replaced by Lou Zarza and remained on staff as an assistant. Zarza was fired after the 1954 season and Smith was once again elevated to head coach. He stopped coaching due to illness in 1960, but remained a member of Wayne State's faculty until his retirement in 1967. He died on February 25, 1981 in Houghton, Michigan.
Head coaching record College
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Frequently asked questions
Who was Herbert L. Smith?
American football player and coach
When did Herbert L. Smith die?
Herbert L. Smith died on 25 February 1981.
What was Herbert L. Smith's occupation?
Herbert L. Smith was an american football player.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Herbert L. Smith
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Herbert L. Smith. https://biography.guide/herbert-l-smith/
MLA: "Herbert L. Smith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/herbert-l-smith/.
Chicago: "Herbert L. Smith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/herbert-l-smith/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:19 UTC