Community college football: Smith heads to Canton

COSTA MESA - Before Orange Coast College assistant head football

coach Doug Smith starts to work with the Pirates program -- OCC’s first

practice is slated for Aug. 11 -- he is at his “class reunion” at the NFL

Hall of Fame, where induction ceremonies commence today.

Smith is an invited guest of Jackie Slater and Jack Youngblood, two of

this year’s inductees. Smith, who played 14 seasons as an offensive

lineman with the Los Angeles Rams and earned six trips to the Pro Bowl,

played with Slater his entire career and spent six seasons with

Youngblood.

“I’m excited that I’ll be there for them,” Smith said. “They’re two

guys who really deserve this honor. They were true class football

players.”

Smith will soak up the festivities this weekend, which will double as

a reunion for him.

The Hall of Fame, located in Canton, Ohio, is roughly 150 miles from

Smith’s hometown of Columbus and about 170 miles from Bowling Green

University, his alma mater.

Smith, who also coaches the offensive line at Coast, expects to see

plenty of friends from his NFL days, his college years and childhood.

He’s attending a black-tie dinner tonight and he says he’s anxious to

hear John Robinson present Slater. Smith remains friends with Robinson,

who was the Rams’ head coach from 1983 to 1991 and now fills that role at

UNLV.

“I’ll see a lot of guys I haven’t seen in years,” Smith said. “It’s

going to be like a big class reunion.”

Smith has been to induction ceremonies before, but only as a

youngster, when he was an observer in a general admission area. He was in

Hawaii with former teammates at the Pro Bowl in 1999 when it was announced that running back Eric Dickerson, a former teammate of his with

the Rams, was selected for induction, but Smith was unable to attend the

actual ceremonies.

When he returns he plans to use his experience to help the OCC

football team. Smith is bringing in Slater to speak to the Pirates later

this summer. He’s also working on bringing in Dan Radakovich, who coached

the offensive line for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl winning teams

of the 1970s, to talk to the team.

“I use my NFL experience to help the program here any time I can,”

Smith said. “I’m glad that I’ll be able to help the team.”