Lovie Smith's Kevo

Lovie Smith set forth with three stated goals when he was hired as the 13th head coach in Chicago Bears history on January 15, 2004: end the decade of dominance by the Green Bay Packers over the Bears, capture the NFC North Division for Chicago and win the Super Bowl. Heading into his third year owning a 16-16 regular season record as the team’s on-field steward, Smith has accomplished each of the first two goals through his first two seasons and will go to work on the third objective in 2006.

Smith was named the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year for 2005 after becoming the fastest head coach in Bears history to lead the team to a division title, doing so in his second campaign while setting a franchise record for victories by a sophomore head coach with 11. The Coach of the Year Award was the sixth all-time for a Bears head coach, more than any other team in the NFL. Smith – who won the award with 24.5 of 50 possible votes – was the fourth head coach in team history to win the award after team founder George S. Halas in 1963 and 1965, Mike Ditka in 1985 and 1988 and Dick Jauron in 2001. Just the third coach in team history to lead the organization to the playoffs in his second season, Smith guided the Bears to their first-ever NFC North Division title in 2005. En route to the team’s second division championship in five seasons, the Bears completed their first season sweep of Green Bay since 1991. The Bears are 3-1 against Green Bay since Smith came to Chicago.

Winning just one of their first four games to start the 2005 campaign, Smith rallied the Bears to an 11-5 regular season mark as Chicago became just the twentieth NFL team to qualify for the post-season after beginning the season 1-3 since the current 12-team playoff system was instituted in 1990. The Bears turned their season around as Smith guided the team to eight consecutive mid-season wins, the third-longest win streak in the NFL in 2005 and the longest by Chicago since the 1985 Super Bowl team won 12 straight to begin the season. In guiding the team to the No. 2 seed in the NFC Playoffs, Smith led a worst-to-first revival in the NFC North division as the Bears six-win improvement from the previous season was tied for the biggest in the NFL in 2005. The dramatic turn-around made Smith one of four active NFL coaches to have produced a six-game improvement in the second season of his initial stint as a head coach after Bill Parcells with the New York Giants in 1984, Jeff Fisher with the Houston Oilers in 1995 and Andy Reid with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2000. The Bears posted a 5-11 record in 2004 in Smith’s first season as head coach as he presided over the youngest team in the NFL while battling through a spate of injuries that robbed the team of the services of several of its most productive players.

Smith has successfully laid Chicago’s foundation for success in just two seasons on the job by establishing his cornerstone of aggressive defensive play. During Smith’s first two seasons at the helm, Chicago ranked second in the NFL to the Pittsburgh Steelers having allowed 16.7 points per game and 56 total touchdowns while leading the league during that time by allowing the lowest opponent passer rating, opponent third-down and fourth-down conversion percentage and opponent red zone touchdown percentage in the league. The Bears also ranked sixth in the NFL during 2004-05 with 63 takeaways while scoring a league-high 10 touchdowns via defensive return – including nine interception return touchdowns – with a franchise-record six coming in 2004. Allowing the fewest points in the NFL in 2005, Chicago led the NFL in total defense for eight weeks during the regular season before finishing second, the team’s first top-five finish in overall defense since 1993.

Smith came to Chicago with the reputation for being proficient at instituting positive change after he engineered a dramatic turnaround as the defensive coordinator of the Rams from 2001 through 2003. Known for his acumen in teaching and motivating young talent, Smith took on the added responsibility of Assistant Head Coach with the Rams prior to the 2003 season.

In Smith's first season as an NFL defensive coordinator with St. Louis in 2001, Smith helped the Rams return to the Super Bowl after missing the playoffs the previous season as the Smith-led defense allowed fewer point and total yards per game than the previous year. Smith coached on playoff teams in four of his last five campaigns as an assistant and has done so in six of his 10 NFL seasons overall. The native Texan was sought out to take over the Rams defense after five seasons coaching linebackers at Tampa Bay from 1996-2000 under Tony Dungy.

During his three years in St. Louis, Smith molded a young defensive group into one of the NFL's most aggressive units. The Rams ranked among the League leaders in takeaways and sacks during his three years in St. Louis. From 2001-03, the Rams ranked third in the NFL in takeaways and fumble recoveries, tied for sixth in sacks, and tied for eighth in interceptions. Smith helped steward St. Louis to shutouts in both 2001 and 2003, the first white-washings by the Rams organization since 1994. The efforts of Smith's defense were rarely lost in the outcome of St. Louis’ games during his tenure as the team's 33 wins ranked third behind Green Bay and Philadelphia in the NFL during that time. He capped his stint in St. Louis by orchestrating a unit that ranked among the League leaders in takeaways, defensive touchdowns, and sacks in 2003. In that year, St. Louis led the NFL with 46 takeaways while tying for fourth with 24 interceptions and leading the NFL with 22 fumble recoveries. That season’s takeaway total is tied with the 1999 Eagles for the third-highest single-season total in the NFL since 1993 (2000 Ravens, 49; 1993 Bills, 47). St. Louis ranked fourth in the NFL by scoring five defensive touchdowns in 2003 and also posted the fourth-most sacks in the NFL.

Smith guided St. Louis to a defensive resurgence upon taking over in 2001. Inheriting a defense coming off a season in which it ranked 23rd in the NFL in total defense while allowing over 29 points per game, Smith improved the unit to third in the NFL in total defense while permitting only 17.0 points per game. In addition to leading the NFC in total defense in 2001 after ranking 10th the previous year, the Rams led the conference in fewest first downs allowed, fewest rushing first downs allowed, fewest first-down yards allowed, fewest first-down plays against, and fewest first-down yards per play allowed. Specifically, the St. Louis defense made one-year leaps to third from 13th in the NFL in run defense and 10th from 27th in the NFL in pass defense while improving to a conference-high 14 wins from 10 in 2000. Other highlights for the Rams defense in 2001 were ranking second in first downs allowed and seventh in points allowed per game while recording five defensive touchdowns. Smith and the Rams accomplished all this with seven new defensive starters in 2001, including two rookies.

In 2002, the Rams defense finished tied for fourth in the NFC and tied for fifth in the NFL in fewest touchdowns allowed while ranking sixth in the NFC and eighth in the NFL in third-down efficiency. During three straight games that November, St. Louis' defense yielded a mere 418 passing yards, the lowest three-game total by the franchise since 1988. Smith's unit also contributed to a five-game winning streak that season by allowing just one offensive touchdown per game, the longest such streak for the team since 1999.

Preceding his success in St. Louis, Smith contributed to the revival of Tampa Bay's defense as the Buccaneers linebacker coach from 1996-2000. Tampa's defense hadn't ranked above 20th in the NFL in the four seasons prior to Smith's arrival under head coach Tony Dungy and defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, but had ranks of 11th in 1996, third in 1997, second in 1998, third in 1999, and ninth in 2000. During the five seasons with Smith on the Bucs staff, the team allowed less than 300 points each year while permitting an average of 16.9 points and 258.8 yards per game. Tampa Bay posted only two defensive touchdowns in Smith's first three years, but improved with two in '99 and a franchise-record six in 2000.

Smith's tutelage has consistently brought out the best in his players. As linebackers coach at Tampa Bay, Smith helped Derrick Brooks develop into one of the NFL's best linebackers. Brooks had 79 tackles as a rookie in 1995 before Smith joined the staff for the 1996 campaign. That season Brooks went over 100 tackles and was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career, a pair of streaks that were extended to 10 consecutive in 2005. Also in 1996, Smith guided Hardy Nickerson to his second career Pro Bowl appearance after not being named the two previous seasons. Brooks and Nickerson combined to be named to eight Pro Bowls under Smith.

Individual success for players under Smith continued when he oversaw the defensive operations for St. Louis in 2001. Defensive end Leonard Little received his first career Pro Bowl berth in 2003 after his third consecutive season with at least 12 sacks. In Smith's first year with the Rams, Little led the team with a career-high 14.5 sacks in only 13 games played while playing primarily on passing downs. The other starting defensive end during Smith's three years in St. Louis was Grant Wistrom, the owner of 45 sacks in seven NFL seasons. Wistrom ranked second on the Rams in sacks each of the three years under Smith with three of his four career multi-sack games coming during that time. With a career-high five sacks in 2003, safety Adam Archuleta set the St. Louis Rams sack record for defensive backs under Smith’s guidance. Little and Aeneas Williams were named to the Pro Bowl under Smith's guidance in 2003 while Williams also did so in 2001. Williams and Wistrom were first-team All-Pro selections in 2001 while Archuleta and Tommy Polley earned All-Rookie status that season. Additionally, St. Louis defenders earned four NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors under Smith in 2001 with three more being received in 2003 along with a pair of NFC Defensive Player of the Month awards.

Overall, Smith has spent 23 years in coaching at the collegiate and professional levels. He began his coaching career at his hometown high school, Big Sandy High School, in 1980 before moving to Cascia Hall Prep in Tulsa the following year. Two years later, Smith made the jump to the college ranks at his alma mater of Tulsa as linebackers coach, where he stayed through 1986. Smith moved on to coach linebackers at Wisconsin (1987), Arizona State (1988-91), and Kentucky (1992). Smith was the defensive backs coach at Tennessee (1993-94) and Ohio State (1995).

A native of Big Sandy, Texas, Smith led the Big Sandy Wildcats to three consecutive state championships in high school and was all-state three years as an end and linebacker. Smith was a two-time all-America and three-time all-Missouri Conference defensive back at Tulsa.

Lovie and his wife, MaryAnne, have three sons, Mikal, Matthew, and Miles, and twin grandsons, Malachi and Noah. Lovie is very active in the community and gives much of his time to helping the American Diabetes Association – a foundation near to his heart since his mother suffers from Type-2 diabetes. He participates in ADA sponsored events such as the Tour de Cure Bike Ride, the ADA Care to Cure Gala and their Father’s Day Dinner. Smith also purchases 10 tickets for every home game as part of the Bears ticket exchange program and donates them to children suffering from diabetes. In addition, he and his wife have started the Lovie Smith and MaryAnne Smith Foundation which is a scholarship program designed to aid qualified high school students who hale from low socio-economic backgrounds and give them the ability to afford and attend college.

Lovie Lee Smith
(born May 8, 1958 in Gladewater, Texas) is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team.
He began his tenure in 2004, replacing Dick Jauron. Before coming to Chicago, he spent three seasons as the St. Louis Rams' defensive coordinator, engineering the defense's turnabout from 23rd in the NFL in 2000 to 3rd the next year. Prior to this, Lovie worked under Tony Dungy with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he helped develop the Tampa 2 defense.
In Smith's first season with the Bears in 2004, the defense improved but the team suffered from an inconsistent offense. After losing starting quarterback Rex Grossman for the year in week 3, the Bears finished with a 5-11 record and in last place in the NFC North.
Smith's second year as head coach started with another injury to his starting quarterback as Grossman was injured in a pre-season game. Smith turned to rookie quarterback Kyle Orton as his starter and worked with his offensive assistants to create game plans that accommodated his new quarterback. The Bears finished with the fourth-worst offense in the NFL (in total yards). However, the Bears defense more than made up for the offensive shortcomings, ranking first in the NFL in points allowed and second in total yards, using the Tampa 2 defense that Smith helped develop. In fact, the Bears flirted with setting the NFL record for fewest points allowed in an NFL season, losing both that record and their rank as 2005's top defense in total yards in a meaningless final game with the Minnesota Vikings when they rested many of their starters.
The Bears finished the 2005 season with an 11-5 record, the NFC North division title and a first round playoff bye. With this achievement, Lovie Smith was named the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year, finishing ahead of mentor Tony Dungy.
Smith's unusual name comes from the fact that his parents believed that they would be having a girl and wished to name her after a great-aunt Lavana.

Earlier football involvement
During high school in Big Sandy, Texas, Smith earned all-state honors for three years; he was an end and linebacker. His team won three state championships as well. He was a linebacker and safety at University of Tulsa and was a two-time All-American.
Smith began coaching at his hometown high school in 1980. By 1983, he began coaching on the college level, first at his alma mater Tulsa (1983–86), and then at University of Wisconsin (1987), Arizona State University (1988–91), University of Kentucky (1992), University of Tennessee (1993–94), and Ohio State University (1995).

Family
Smith and his wife MaryAnne have three sons and two grandsons.
Preceded by:
Dick Jauron
Chicago Bears Head Coaches
2004–present
Succeeded by:
Current coach
Preceded by:
'
St. Louis Rams Defensive Coordinator
2001-2003
Succeeded by:
Larry Marmie
Preceded by:
Marty Schottenheimer
NFL Coach of the Year Award
2005
Succeeded by:
TBA

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