University of Tulsa's Tubby Smith becomes University of Georgia's first black head coach

Jet, April 17, 1995

Orlando "Tubby" Smith, who recently guided the University of Tulsa's Golden Hurricane to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, was named the head coach at the University of Georgia in Athens--becoming the university's first Black head coach.

Smith, 43, received a six-year deal paying him $115,000 a year, according to the university's Athletic Director Vince Dooley, who did not interview anyone else but Smith for the job. After a six-hour interview in Tulsa, Dooley said, "I was convinced this was the coach I wanted to lead our program to a new era."

I'm looking forward to the challenge," Smith said in the USA Today.

Smith coached Tulsa to a respectable 79-43 record in his four seasons there. The Golden Hurricane were Missouri Valley Conference champions the last two years, coached by Smith to 23-8 and 24-8 records.

Tulsa was his first head coaching job after 12 years as an assistant coach.

Smith's son, Orlando Jr., will be a freshman point guard at Georgia when the Bulldogs begin their basketball season in the fall.