HOUSTON, Texas — Editor's Note: This video was produced in February 2022.
New Houston Texans head coach Lovie Smith said this week at training camp the job has been “everything I could have asked for” and largely credited his start in Big Sandy with setting the stage for his success.
Smith, who was born in Gladewater and grew up in Big Sandy, was promoted to head coach in February after being hired as the team’s associate head coach and defensive coordinator under then-head coach David Culley in March 2021.
“It’s been a dream come true. As a Big Sandy native and a high school product of the Lone Star State, I understand what it means to be a Texan and how important the game of football is to all of us,” Smith said Tuesday. “It just means more here. I have always wanted to be a head coach in this state, so leading this program is truly special. Just seeing how much the fans care about football and care about winning — it’s been everything I could have asked for.”