Charles H. " Sonny " Smith ( born November 15 , 1936 ) is a retired American college basketball coach . Originally from Roan Mountain , Tennessee , Smith served as a head coach for 22 seasons . Best known as the head coach at Auburn from 1978 to 1989 , he also coached at East Tennessee State ( 1976 – 1978 ) and VCU ( 1989 – 1998 ) . Smith won the 1985 SEC Tournament championship while at Auburn , and won both the CAA regular season and tournament titles in 1996 while at VCU . He made six NCAA Tournament appearances as a head coach , five at Auburn and one at VCU . Smith was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2007
1985 SEC Tournament
1985 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
Sonny Smith