By By Richard Strength/staff writer
Jan. 5, 2002
ELLISVILLE With several junior college head coaching positions opening up around the state, it was natural that the name of Jones Junior College's Ed Smith would come up.
The Meridian native has been the offensive coordinator for the Bobcats for the past six seasons and helped the team achieve state championships in 1998 and 2001.
Last year, Smith was one of the finalists for the vacant Pearl River Community College position. Pearl River is again searching for a head coach, since Steve Maxfield resigned in November after one season to take a job in Texas.
Smith has been rumored to be one of the top candidates for the Pearl River job, as well as the vacant head coaching position at Itawamba Community College. Smith was an assistant at Itawamba in 1990, the last time the Indians won a state title.
After Pearl River contacted Smith, he told them he is not interested in pursuing the position.
Keeping wife Patti and their two daughters, Kendal and Whitney, happy certainly figures into the equation for Smith.
Smith is a graduate of Meridian High School, East Mississippi Community College and Mississippi State. He has coached at Meridian High, Mississippi State, Itawamba and Austin Peay before coming to Jones. His previous experience at Itawamba has fueled the rumors that Smith was a prime candidate for the Indians head coaching job.