Smith’s UA teammate Tedy Bruschi is in the Sweet 16 of the Bear Down Leader competition that is staged at our partner site WILDABOUTAZCATS.com. Also, check out a YouTube video of Smith’s crucial fumble recovery in the UA’s 1993 upset of No. 1 Washington at WILDABOUTAZCATS.com.

I recently had the opportunity to ask former UA offensive lineman Vincent Smith, who coaches Tucson High and a professional women’s football team in Tucson, a series of questions.

Smith, who played at 6-foot-6, 368 pounds, is a behemoth of a man with a big heart as well. Those who know him view him as a gentleman and a coach with a genuine eye toward improving youngsters and women in the sport he calls “the greatest in the world.” Not too many men, let alone those who are busy coaching a high school football, would take the time to train women in football, but that says something about Smith’s character right there.

The Monsoon is 1-6 with a six-game losing streak heading into their last game Saturday at Seattle. But playing in the Independent Women’s Football League is not all about wins and losses. It’s about the experience gained playing a sport they likely never thought they would have an opportunity to play.

Performing under Smith is just an added benefit. Here’s the Q&A. Enjoy:

QUESTION: What game or play sticks out the most in your memory playing with the University of Arizona football team?
SMITH: “The play that comes to mind is in the 1990 UCLA game at the Rose Bowl. I jumped off-sides on 4th and short and nearly cost my team the game. It sticks out because I was in front of my hometown crowd and on national TV so anyone who knew me saw me jack that thing up. Aaargh! Darryll Lewis made a great play that made folks forget about my miscue. I always think about that moment when I get on my players for making mistakes.”

QUESTION: Often overlooked because of the exploits of the Desert Swarm, was your very important recovery of a fumble against No. 1 Washington in 1993. It helped keep a crucial scoring drive alive. What do you remember most about the play and how often is that replayed in your head?
SMITH: “What I remember most is seeing the ball flop around and thinking ‘Where’s Chuck (Levy)?’ It was a great play call and it felt right but then there’s the ball. On the turf! Gotta get it or we’re in deep stuff! I fall on it and lose it twice. I wasn’t used to recovering fumbles. Then it seemed like the entire travel squad from Washington jumped on my back. Ripped my helmet off, ripped my earring out, tried to choke me out! Like early stages of UFC … It was great! I was pretty fired up though after that. I remember telling (Dave) Hoffmann — the linebacker who ripped me up — that his a– was mine. A lot of angry and emotional blocking followed.”

QUESTION: What are your impressions of the current state of the UA football program?
SMITH: “The program is on the rise. They are surely on the right track. The strength and conditioning program is top notch and the coaches are exceptional. We’ll be Pac-10 champs sooner rather than later. No pressure.”

QUESTION: Please explain the story behind you landing the head coaching gig with a women’s football team?
SMITH: “Still trying to figure that one out myself (laughs). I had been following them and they were using our field (Tucson High) for home games. They always showed a lot of heart and dedication but were coming up short at times. When they approached me about coaching I thought it would be a great experience and hopefully I could help. It’s been great. Those women are dedicated.”

QUESTION: What are the most difficult aspect of coaching a team of women?
SMITH: “I think the biggest thing is getting past the lack of experience. You have to remember though that they are athletes and many to most have zero football experience, so there is constant learning. You must have patience. Also, though they are playing football, which is the greatest sport in the world, you must remember that they are still women. Tough and dedicated women, but still women.”

QUESTION: What are the most rewarding aspects?
SMITH: “You are coaching adults and you are making great friends. You learn patience beyond anything you ever imagined and you see the strength and fortitude of these ladies. I have four daughters and can only hope that they are as dedicated to the advancement of women in sports or any other endeavor.”

QUESTION: You also coach at Tucson High School. What are your long-term goals in coaching?
SMITH: “I plan on being at Tucson high and getting the program back to past levels of success. The only thing that would cause me to leave would be an opportunity at the college ranks. That is still a desire of mine. Though I’m not getting any younger so we’ll see. But I love being the head coach at Tucson High. The kids are great.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 at 9:43 am and is filed under Sports. Tags for this post: Q&A of Those in the Know, Tucson Monsoon, Vincent Smith. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.