Football
- Title:
- Football Running Backs Coach
After an illustrious playing career at East Carolina, Wardell [quote]Junior[quote] Smith returned to the Pirate program Dec. 13, 2004 and now is in his fifth season as a member of coaching staff working exclusively with the running backs.
Smith, who currently ranks as the Pirates[apos] all-time leading rusher with 3,745 yards and was a three-time All-America performer during his four-year playing career from 1991 to 1994, returned to East Carolina after one-year stint as running backs coach at Louisiana-Monroe in 2004.
Since his arrival back in Greenville, Smith has re-energized the ECU rushing attack which includes three 1,500-yard seasons and a stellar 2,400-yard campaign in 2007 after inheriting a unit which managed less than 117 yards per game in the previous two years combined, including a 92.8 average in 2004. In fact, the Pirates[apos] 182.9 average in [apos]07 marked the program[apos]s second-highest clip since 1988.
In addition, he has directed a total of five backs that recorded a combined 15 100-yard rushing efforts in the past four years in Chris Johnson (2004-07), Brandon Fractious (2005-06), Norman Whitley (2008), Brandon Simmons (2008) and Jonathan Williams (2008).
However, it was Johnson who reaped most the benefit from Smith[apos]s work and experience in 2007. The Orlando, Fla., native capped a noteworthy senior campaign by becoming the first Pirate to rush for over 1,000 yards since 2003 with his 1,423-yard total, which included single-game efforts of 301 at Memphis and a Sheraton Hawai[apos]i Bowl-record 223 against Boise State. In addition to numerous kickoff return, scoring and all-purpose records, Johnson concluded his career by setting new school standards exclusively for running backs such as single-season rushing touchdowns, reception yards and reception TDs before becoming a first-round draft choice of the Tennessee Titans.
After projected starter Dominique Lindsay suffered a season-ending knee injury prior to the start of the 2008 campaign, Smith used a three-pronged rushing attack with Whitley, Simmons and Williams that produced 1,552 of the unit[apos]s 1,796 ground yards and accounted for 16 of ECU[apos]s 17 touchdowns. Whitley, who finished his sophomore season as ECU[apos]s top rusher with 698 yards, helped the Pirates down Tulsa in the Conference USA Championship game with 104 yards - 69 coming on a pivotal scoring run late in the third quarter that broke a 17-17 deadlock.
In addition to guiding the Indians[apos] rushing attack, Smith also served as ULM[apos]s punt team coordinator, video and professional scout liaison for head coach Charlie Weatherbie.
Prior to joining the Louisiana-Monroe staff, Smith spent four seasons as running backs coach at Army beginning in 2000. He also handled various special teams assignments and handled the Black Knights[apos] recruiting efforts in North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. In 1998 and 1999, Smith coached running backs at Illinois State where he helped the Redbirds to a combined two-year record of 19-7 and a pair of NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearances.
Prior to accepting his first full-time job at ISU, Smith served as a graduate assistant in ECU[apos]s Athletic Student Development Office in 1997, where he was responsible for designing academic schedules, monitoring student academic progress and coordinating the Pirates[apos] faculty guest coaching program.
Smith enjoyed an illustrious playing career at East Carolina, posting three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing and nine touchdown seasons in 1992 (1,037), 1993 (1,352) and 1994 (1,204). He recorded 16 triple-digit rushing efforts and was a top 10 candidate for the 1994 Doak Walker Award. In addition to this three honorable mention selections as a Football News All-America performer, Smith was a three-time All-South Independent pick.
In the classroom, Smith was honored as the recipient of the 1994 St. Jude Liberty Bowl Scholar-Athlete Award and the 1995 Texas-Gulf Phosphate Outstanding Male Scholar-Athlete Award.
Upon the completion of his collegiate career, Smith played professionally with the Shreveport Pirates and Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League in 1995 and 1996.
Smith, 35, earned his bachelor[apos]s degree in exercise and sports science from East Carolina in May, 1997.
