7 7 – 1 9 8 1 ▁under ▁Chris ▁A ult ▁and ▁at ▁Wy oming ▁( 1 9 8 6 ) ▁and ▁Washington ▁State ▁( 1 9 8 7 – 1 9 8 8 ) ▁under ▁Er ick son . ▁Smith ▁posted ▁a ▁ 5 3 – 2 1 ▁record ▁() ▁in ▁six ▁seasons ▁as ▁the ▁head ▁coach ▁at ▁Id aho . ▁Under ▁his ▁leadership , ▁the ▁V and als ▁won ▁two ▁Big ▁Sky ▁conference ▁champion ships ▁and ▁made ▁the ▁ 1 6 - team ▁NCAA ▁Division ▁I - AA ▁play offs ▁five ▁times , ▁adv ancing ▁to ▁the ▁national ▁semif inals ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁Smith ' s ▁ 5 3 ▁wins ▁are ▁the ▁most ▁in ▁school ▁history . ▁His ▁starting ▁annual ▁sal ary ▁at ▁Id aho ▁was ▁under ▁$ 6 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁but ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁UI ▁head ▁coach ▁to ▁be ▁granted ▁a ▁multi - year ▁contract . ▁ ▁Smith ▁inherited ▁an ▁ 1 1 – 2 ▁team ▁from ▁Keith ▁Gilbert son ▁that ▁had ▁made ▁the ▁I - AA ▁semif inals ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁and ▁returned ▁All - American ▁quarter back ▁in ▁John ▁F ries z . ▁The ▁V and als ▁finished ▁ 9 – 3 ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁They ▁lost ▁their ▁first ▁two ▁games ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁season ▁to ▁Washington ▁State ▁( 4 1 – 7 ) ▁and ▁Port land ▁State ▁( 2 9