Tubby Smith

Tubby Smith (born June 30, 1951)

Teams coached: Tulsa Golden Hurricane, Georgia Bulldogs, Kentucky Wildcats, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Memphis Tigers, High Point Panthers
Tulsa record: 79-43 (.648)
Georgia record: 45-19 (.703)
Kentucky record: 263-83 (.760)
Minnesota record: 124-81 (.605)
Texas Tech record: 46-50 (.479)
Memphis record: 40-26 (.606)
High Point record: 45-68 (.398)
Overall record: 642-370 (.634)

Career Accomplishments:

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

2018-2022 High Point
2016-2018 Memphis
2013-2016 Texas Tech
2007-2013 Minnesota
1997-2007 Kentucky
1995-1997 Georgia
1991-1995 Tulsa
1989-1991 Kentucky (asst)
1986-1989 South Carolina (asst)
1979-1986 VCU (asst)

Tubby Smith Facts

  • Orlando Henry Smith
  • Born June 30, 1951
  • Hometown: Scotland, Maryland
  • Alma Mater: High Point College (1973)
  • Played at (then NAIA) High Point under three different head coaches: Bob Vaughn, J. D. Barnett and Jerry Steele
    • Later donated $1M to HPU, for which the school named the floor at the new Quebin Center, “Tubby and Donna Smith Court”
  • Began his coaching career at his alma mater – Great Mills HS (MD) – going 46-36 in four seasons as head coach
    • Also coached for two seasons at Hoke County HS (NC), compiling a 28-18 overall record
  • First collegiate jobs were as an assistant at VCU under Barnett and Mike Pollio and at South Carolina under George Felton
  • Spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Kentucky under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino
  • Was the head coach at Tulsa for four seasons, going to the Sweet Sixteen twice before being hired as the head coach at Georgia
    • Went to the NCAA Tournament in each of his two seasons there, including a trip to the 1996 Sweet Sixteen, upsetting 1-seed Purdue
  • Returned to Lexington in 1997, taking over for Pitino and leading the Kentucky Wildcats to a 35-win first season that ended with an NCAA Tournament National Championship victory
    • Spent ten seasons at UK, winning 263 games and going to the NCAA Tournament every season
    • Served as an assistant to Rudy Tomjanovich with Team USA at the 2000 Summer Olympics, where the team won gold
    • Resigned under immense fan pressure in 2007 following two straight 22-win seasons that ended in the second round of the NCAAs
    • Inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame (class of 2013)
  • Took the head coach position at Minnesota on the same day as his UK resignation, leading the Gophers for the next six seasons
    • Went to three NCAA Tournaments and two NITs, nearly winning the 2012 NIT, during his tenure
    • Was let go in March 2013 less than a year after signing a three-year contract extension
  • Spent three seasons at Texas Tech, leading the Red Raiders to the 2016 NCAA Tournament where he became one of just three head coaches (along with Lon Kruger and Rick Pitino) to take five different programs to the Big Dance
  • Left Tech for Memphis in April 2016, leading the Tigers to a 40-26 record in two years before being fired in March 2018
  • Returned to his alma mater High Point in March 2018, becoming the Panthers new head coach
  • Along with his wife, Donna, has three sons and one daughter

Tubby Smith Coaching Tree