He served as the head football coach at Southwest Texas State Normal School—now known as Texas State University–from 1913 to 1915, compiling a record of 11–13–2.

Smith began his teaching and coaching career in 1910 at Lockhart High School in Lockhart, Texas, where he was principal, football coach, and a science teacher.

He moved to Cuero, Texas in 1912 to take a similar position with a high school there.

[2] Smith joined the faculty at Southwest Texas State in 1913 and was appointed head of the biology department around 1915.

He trained as a United States Army officer in San Antonio and served as a first lieutenant in the 345th Field Artillery Regiment of the 90th Infantry Division in France during World War I. Smith died on August 1, 1952, at a hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas.