FAYETTEVILLE — Sporting his trademark cowboy boots and quick-witted personality, John L. Smith was officially introduced as Arkansas' new head football coach on Tuesday, confident his only year under contract with the Razorbacks can be a memorable one.
Smith, 63, takes over a talented program left stunned earlier this month when a series of off-field events led to the firing of Bobby Petrino as its head coach.
"When you look from outside and watch something happening to the family you love, you contemplate if there is something you can do to help out," said Smith, who spent three seasons as an assistant at Arkansas before accepting the head coaching job at Weber State last December.
"Hopefully I can make a difference and we can fight through this, and do what we have to do to fight through adversity."
Arkansas is the sixth school to hire Smith as its head coach during a coaching career that has spanned 40 years. Smith is 132-86 in 18 seasons as a college head coach at Michigan State, Louisville, Utah State and Idaho.
He never coached a game at Weber State, a Football Championship Subdivision school where Smith played from 1968-70.
"No one could have foreseen this happening," Smith said. "It's a decision I had to make. I want to thank (Weber State athletics director Jerry Boveee) for understanding I have a heavy investment here."
Smith, one of 19 coaches to take three separate programs to a bowl game, said his wife, Diana, ultimately made the call for the couple to return to Fayetteville.
"We were struggling through this and I said, 'I dragged you all over the country and you've not said a word; this decision is yours,'" Smith said.
"She said, 'You're going to people that love you and a team that is a good football team. You have a chance to fight for a national championship. You've done this your entire career and this might be the only chance you have left. You're going back.'"
Arkansas players were enthusiastic about the return of Smith, labeled by many as a "player's coach" during his stint as special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach.
"He's very passionate for the players, very passionate for the game and very passionate for this team," said kicker Zach Hocker. "From the time I came in, Coach Smith and I definitely connected and we have a really good relationship on the field. I'm very, very excited for him to be here. I feel like he has the right coaching staff in place this year for us to win a national championship."
The Razorbacks are coming off an 11-win season in their last campaign, tying the school record for wins. With several key contributors returning from last season, Arkansas is expected to be one of college football's top teams again in 2012.
"I know there are some guys that would like some of the big names that were being thrown out there that have had success at other universities and other places, but this is a guy that is more than capable," said quarterback Tyler Wilson. "We know him, this is our system and our type of philosophy.
"It gives us a chance to move forward and continue what we have built here for four years, and I think there's no reason we can't make a run and continue the goals we have always set."
Aside from his brief stay at Weber State, Arkansas is Smith's first head coaching job since he was fired at Michigan State following the 2006 season. Smith went 22-26 in four seasons with the Spartans, including a 3-13 record in Big Ten play his final two years.
Smith had recorded winning seasons in 14 of his first 15 years as a head coach and was considered one of the nation's top mid-major coaches when he was hired by Michigan State from Louisville in 2002.
Asked if he considered his job with the Razorbacks as a shot at redemption for his pitfall with the Spartans, Smith replied, "Yes. The answer is yes."
Smith agreed to a 10-month, $850,000 contract with Arkansas on Monday. With incentives, he can earn close to $1.1 million this year.
As part of the contract, Smith agreed to keep the Razorbacks' current on-field staff, support staff and strength staff intact, and leave all personnel decisions to UA athletics director Jeff Long.
Smith can also be reassigned to an administrative, non-coaching role at any time during the agreement.
"If a new head coach is hired within the next eight or nine months, then he'll continue to serve out his 10 months that way," Long said.