Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith - Misplaced Pages

American football player and coach (1898–1984) Not to be confused with John "Clipper" Smith.

Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith
Biographical details
Born	(1898-10-15)October 15, 1898 Manteno, Illinois, U.S.
Died	March 17, 1984(1984-03-17) (aged 85) Laguna Beach, California, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1917–1920	Notre Dame

Position(s)	Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1921–1924	Columbia (OR)
1925–1928	Gonzaga
1929–1935	Santa Clara
1936–1942	Villanova
1944	Cherry Point Marines
1946	San Francisco
1947–1948	Boston Yanks
1949–1951	Lafayette
Basketball
1922–1924	Columbia (OR)
1925–1929	Gonzaga
Baseball
1926	Gonzaga

Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1925–1929	Gonzaga

Head coaching record
Overall	7–16–1 (NFL) 73–75 (college basketball) 4–11 (college baseball)
Bowls	1–0–1

Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (October 15, 1898 – March 17, 1984) was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head football coach at Gonzaga University (1925–1928), Santa Clara University (1929–1935), Villanova College—now known as Villanova University (1936–1942), the University of San Francisco (1946), and Lafayette College (1949–1951). Smith was also the head coach of the National Football League's Boston Yanks from 1947 to 1948, tallying a mark of 7–16–1. In addition, he was the head basketball coach at Gonzaga from 1925 to 1929 and the head baseball coach at the school for one season in 1926, notching a record of 4–11.

Smith died on March 17, 1984, at his home in Laguna Beach, California.

Head coaching record

College football


Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	AP
Gonzaga Bulldogs (Northwest Conference) (1925)
1925	Gonzaga	7–2–2	2–1–2	3rd
Gonzaga Bulldogs (Independent) (1926–1928)
1926	Gonzaga	5–2–1
1927	Gonzaga	5–3–1
1928	Gonzaga	6–2–1
Gonzaga:		23–9–5	2–1–2
Santa Clara Missionites / Broncos (Independent) (1929–1935)
1929	Santa Clara	5–3
1930	Santa Clara	5–3–1
1931	Santa Clara	5–4–1
1932	Santa Clara	6–3
1933	Santa Clara	6–2–1			W New Year's Classic
1934	Santa Clara	7–2–1
1935	Santa Clara	3–6
Santa Clara:		37–23–4
Villanova Wildcats (Independent) (1936–1942)
1936	Villanova	7–2–1			T Bacardi
1937	Villanova	8–0–1				6
1938	Villanova	8–0–1				18
1939	Villanova	6–2
1940	Villanova	4–5
1941	Villanova	4–4
1942	Villanova	4–4
Villanova:		41–17–3
Cherry Point Marines Flying Leathernecks (Independent) (1944)
1944	Cherry Point Marines	3–6
Cherry Point Marines:		3–6
San Francisco Dons (Independent) (1946)
1946	San Francisco	3–6
San Francisco:		3–6
Lafayette Leopards (Middle Three Conference) (1949–1951)
1949	Lafayette	2–6	1–1	2nd
1950	Lafayette	1–8	0–2	3rd
1951	Lafayette	1–7	0–2	3rd
Lafayette:		4–21	1–5
Total:
Rankings from final AP Poll.

References

"Clipper Smith works his outfit overtime". Spokane Daily Chronicle. October 28, 1925. p. 18.
"Clipper Smith may change job". Spokane Daily Chronicle. May 18, 1929. p. 1.
"Clipper Smith heading south". Spokane Daily Chronicle. May 30, 1929. p. 14.
"Clipper Smith heads for Villanova; plays Santa Clara in fall". The Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. United Press. June 25, 1936. p. 10.
"Maurice 'Clipper' Smith Dead at 85". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. Associated Press. March 20, 1984. p. B7. Retrieved April 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .

v t e Portland Pilots head football coaches
Dom Callicrate (1909–1916) Leo Malarkey (1917) Slip Madigan (1920) Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1921–1924) Vincent F. Harrington (1926) Gene Murphy (1927–1936) Robert L. Mathews (1937–1942) No team (1943–1945) Hal Moe (1946–1948) Harry Wright (1949)

v t e Portland Pilots men's basketball head coaches
Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1922–1924) Thomas A. Berry (1924–1925) Vincent F. Harrington (1925–1927) Gene Murphy (1927–1928) Edmond Fiene (1928–1934) Edwin Fitzpatrick (1934–1942) Robert L. Mathews (1942–1943) No team (1943–1945) Len Yandle (1945–1946) Mush Torson (1946–1954) Art McLarney (1954–1955) Mike Tichy # (1955) Al Negratti (1955–1967) Bill Turner (1967–1969) Ernie Smith (1969) Joe Etzel # (1969–1970) Jack Avina (1970–1987) Larry Steele (1987–1994) Rob Chavez (1994–2001) Michael Holton (2001–2006) Eric Reveno (2006–2016) Terry Porter (2016–2021) Ben Johnson # (2021) Shantay Legans (2021– ) # denotes interim head coach.

Portland Pilots men's basketball head coaches

Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1922–1924)
Thomas A. Berry (1924–1925)
Vincent F. Harrington (1925–1927)
Gene Murphy (1927–1928)
Edmond Fiene (1928–1934)
Edwin Fitzpatrick (1934–1942)
Robert L. Mathews (1942–1943)
No team (1943–1945)
Len Yandle (1945–1946)
Mush Torson (1946–1954)
Art McLarney (1954–1955)
Mike Tichy # (1955)
Al Negratti (1955–1967)
Bill Turner (1967–1969)
Ernie Smith (1969)
Joe Etzel # (1969–1970)
Jack Avina (1970–1987)
Larry Steele (1987–1994)
Rob Chavez (1994–2001)
Michael Holton (2001–2006)
Eric Reveno (2006–2016)
Terry Porter (2016–2021)
Ben Johnson # (2021)
Shantay Legans (2021– )

# denotes interim head coach.

v t e Gonzaga Bulldogs athletic directors
Robert E. Harmon (1913–1915) Gus Dorais (1920–1925) Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1925–1929) Robert L. Mathews (1929–1930) Claude McGrath (1939–1949) Archie Sherar (1949–) Hank Anderson (1953–1972) Larry Koentopp (1972–1978) Dan Fitzgerald (1978–1997) Mike Roth (1997– )

v t e Gonzaga Bulldogs head football coaches
Henry Luhn (1892–1893) No team (1894–1895) Henry Luhn (1896–1898) No team (1899–1906) George Varnell (1907–1911) Fred Burns (1912) Robert E. Harmon (1913–1914) William J. Coyle (1915) John F. McGough (1916) Jimmy Condon (1917) Charlie Mullen (1918) William S. Higgins (1919) Gus Dorais (1920–1924) Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1925–1928) Robert L. Mathews (1929) Ray Flaherty (1930) Mike Pecarovich (1931–1938) Puggy Hunton (1939–1941)

Gonzaga Bulldogs head football coaches

Henry Luhn (1892–1893)
No team (1894–1895)
Henry Luhn (1896–1898)
No team (1899–1906)
George Varnell (1907–1911)
Fred Burns (1912)
Robert E. Harmon (1913–1914)
William J. Coyle (1915)
John F. McGough (1916)
Jimmy Condon (1917)
Charlie Mullen (1918)
William S. Higgins (1919)
Gus Dorais (1920–1924)
Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1925–1928)
Robert L. Mathews (1929)
Ray Flaherty (1930)
Mike Pecarovich (1931–1938)
Puggy Hunton (1939–1941)

v t e Gonzaga Bulldogs head baseball coaches
Unknown (1890–1908) Stanley H. Titus (1909) Unknown (1890–1908) Fred Burns (1911) Ralph Willis (1913) Unknown (1913–1914) Robert E. Harmon (1915) Father Gilbert (1916) Unknown (1917) Jimmy Condon (1918) Unknown (1919–1920) Gus Dorais (1921–1925) Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1926) Unknown (1927) Hust Stockton (1928) Unknown (1929–1946) Gerald O'Melveney (1947–1948) L. T. Underwood (1949–1950) Dick Busch (1951) Unknown (1952–1956) Dick Busch (1957–1959) Joe Schauble (1960–1961) Dick Busch (1962–1967) Joey August (1968–1969) Larry Koentopp (1970–1977) Steve Hertz (1978) Jim Lawler (1979–1980) Steve Hertz (1981–2003) Mark Machtolf (2004– )

Gonzaga Bulldogs head baseball coaches

Unknown (1890–1908)
Stanley H. Titus (1909)
Unknown (1890–1908)
Fred Burns (1911)
Ralph Willis (1913)
Unknown (1913–1914)
Robert E. Harmon (1915)
Father Gilbert (1916)
Unknown (1917)
Jimmy Condon (1918)
Unknown (1919–1920)
Gus Dorais (1921–1925)
Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1926)
Unknown (1927)
Hust Stockton (1928)
Unknown (1929–1946)
Gerald O'Melveney (1947–1948)
L. T. Underwood (1949–1950)
Dick Busch (1951)
Unknown (1952–1956)
Dick Busch (1957–1959)
Joe Schauble (1960–1961)
Dick Busch (1962–1967)
Joey August (1968–1969)
Larry Koentopp (1970–1977)
Steve Hertz (1978)
Jim Lawler (1979–1980)
Steve Hertz (1981–2003)
Mark Machtolf (2004– )

v t e Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball head coaches
George Varnell unofficial season* (1907–1908) George Varnell (1908–1909) William Mulligan (1909–1910) Frank McKevitt (1910–1911) Fred Burns (1911–1912) Ed Mulholland (1912–1913) Robert E. Harmon (1913–1915) William S. Higgins (1915–1916) John F. McGough (1916–1917) Jimmy Condon (1917–1918) Edward Geheves (1918–1920) Gus Dorais (1920–1925) Maurice Smith (1925–1929) Robert L. Mathews (1929–1930) Ray Flaherty (1930–1931) Sam Dagley (1931–1932) Perry Ten Eyck (1932–1933) Claude McGrath (1933–1942) Bill Frazier (1942–1943) Charles Henry (1943–1944) Eugene Wozny (1944–1945) Gordon C. White (1945–1946) Claude McGrath (1946–1949) L. T. Underwood (1949–1951) Hank Anderson (1951–1972) Adrian Buoncristiani (1972–1978) Dan Fitzgerald (1978–1981) Jay Hillock (1981–1985) Dan Fitzgerald (1985–1997) Dan Monson (1997–1999) Mark Few (1999– )

Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball head coaches

George Varnell unofficial season* (1907–1908)
George Varnell (1908–1909)
William Mulligan (1909–1910)
Frank McKevitt (1910–1911)
Fred Burns (1911–1912)
Ed Mulholland (1912–1913)
Robert E. Harmon (1913–1915)
William S. Higgins (1915–1916)
John F. McGough (1916–1917)
Jimmy Condon (1917–1918)
Edward Geheves (1918–1920)
Gus Dorais (1920–1925)
Maurice Smith (1925–1929)
Robert L. Mathews (1929–1930)
Ray Flaherty (1930–1931)
Sam Dagley (1931–1932)
Perry Ten Eyck (1932–1933)
Claude McGrath (1933–1942)
Bill Frazier (1942–1943)
Charles Henry (1943–1944)
Eugene Wozny (1944–1945)
Gordon C. White (1945–1946)
Claude McGrath (1946–1949)
L. T. Underwood (1949–1951)
Hank Anderson (1951–1972)
Adrian Buoncristiani (1972–1978)
Dan Fitzgerald (1978–1981)
Jay Hillock (1981–1985)
Dan Fitzgerald (1985–1997)
Dan Monson (1997–1999)
Mark Few (1999– )

v t e Santa Clara Broncos head football coaches
Unknown (1896) No team (1897) No coach (1898) No team (1899–1901) Gene Sheehy (1902–1905) No team (1906) William H. Howard (1907) No team (1908) Harry Renwick (1909) No coach (1910–1911) Pat Higgins (1912–1914) No team (1915) Charles A. Austin (1916) Austin Mandershed & Walter Mandershed (1917) No team (1918) Robert E. Harmon (1919–1920) Harry Buckingham (1921–1922) Eddie Kienholz (1923–1924) Adam Walsh (1925–1928) Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1929–1935) Buck Shaw (1936–1942) No team (1943–1945) Len Casanova (1946–1949) Richard F. Gallagher (1950–1952) No team (1953–1958) Pat Malley (1959–1984) Terry Malley (1985–1992)

Santa Clara Broncos head football coaches

Unknown (1896)
No team (1897)
No coach (1898)
No team (1899–1901)
Gene Sheehy (1902–1905)
No team (1906)
William H. Howard (1907)
No team (1908)
Harry Renwick (1909)
No coach (1910–1911)
Pat Higgins (1912–1914)
No team (1915)
Charles A. Austin (1916)
Austin Mandershed & Walter Mandershed (1917)
No team (1918)
Robert E. Harmon (1919–1920)
Harry Buckingham (1921–1922)
Eddie Kienholz (1923–1924)
Adam Walsh (1925–1928)
Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1929–1935)
Buck Shaw (1936–1942)
No team (1943–1945)
Len Casanova (1946–1949)
Richard F. Gallagher (1950–1952)
No team (1953–1958)
Pat Malley (1959–1984)
Terry Malley (1985–1992)

v t e Villanova Wildcats athletic directors
Charles McGeehan Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1936–1943) Billy Connelly (1948–1952) Art Raimo (1952–1953) Bud Dudley (1953–1956) Frank Reagan (1957–1961) Art Mahan (1961–1973) Philip Bender (1973–1974) Ted Aceto (1974–1993) Gene DeFilippo (1993–1997) Tim Hofferth (1997–2000) Vince Nicastro (2000–2015) Mark Jackson (2015–2024) Lynn Tighe # (2024-present) # denotes interim athletic director

Villanova Wildcats athletic directors

Charles McGeehan
Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1936–1943)
Billy Connelly (1948–1952)
Art Raimo (1952–1953)
Bud Dudley (1953–1956)
Frank Reagan (1957–1961)
Art Mahan (1961–1973)
Philip Bender (1973–1974)
Ted Aceto (1974–1993)
Gene DeFilippo (1993–1997)
Tim Hofferth (1997–2000)
Vince Nicastro (2000–2015)
Mark Jackson (2015–2024)
Lynn Tighe # (2024-present)

# denotes interim athletic director

v t e Villanova Wildcats head football coaches
Mike Murphy (1894) James A. McDonald (1895–1896) John F. Bagley (1897–1898) Dick Nallin (1899) John J. Egan & John Powers (1900) John J. Egan (1901) Richard Kelly & Timothy O'Rourke (1902) Martin Caine (1903) Fred Crolius (1904–1911) Charles McGeehan (1912) Ted St. Germaine (1913) Dutch Sommer (1914–1915) Edward Bennis (1916) Thomas Reap (1917–1920) Allie Miller (1921–1922) Hugh McGeehan (1923) Dutch Sommer (1924) Harry Stuhldreher (1925–1935) Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1936–1942) Jordan Olivar (1943–1948) Jim Leonard (1949–1950) Art Raimo (1951–1953) Frank Reagan (1954–1959) Joseph Rogers # (1959) Alexander F. Bell (1960–1966) Jack Gregory (1967–1969) Lou Ferry (1970–1973) Jim Weaver (1974) Lou Ferry # (1974) Dick Bedesem (1975–1980) No team (1981–1984) Andy Talley (1985–2016) Mark Ferrante (2017− ) # denotes interim head coach

Villanova Wildcats head football coaches

Mike Murphy (1894)
James A. McDonald (1895–1896)
John F. Bagley (1897–1898)
Dick Nallin (1899)
John J. Egan & John Powers (1900)
John J. Egan (1901)
Richard Kelly & Timothy O'Rourke (1902)
Martin Caine (1903)
Fred Crolius (1904–1911)
Charles McGeehan (1912)
Ted St. Germaine (1913)
Dutch Sommer (1914–1915)
Edward Bennis (1916)
Thomas Reap (1917–1920)
Allie Miller (1921–1922)
Hugh McGeehan (1923)
Dutch Sommer (1924)
Harry Stuhldreher (1925–1935)
Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1936–1942)
Jordan Olivar (1943–1948)
Jim Leonard (1949–1950)
Art Raimo (1951–1953)
Frank Reagan (1954–1959)
Joseph Rogers # (1959)
Alexander F. Bell (1960–1966)
Jack Gregory (1967–1969)
Lou Ferry (1970–1973)
Jim Weaver (1974)
Lou Ferry # (1974)
Dick Bedesem (1975–1980)
No team (1981–1984)
Andy Talley (1985–2016)
Mark Ferrante (2017− )

# denotes interim head coach

v t e San Francisco Dons head football coaches
William N. Thorpe (1917) No team (1918–1923) Jimmy Needles (1924–1931) Spud Lewis (1932–1936) George Malley (1937–1940) Jeff Cravath (1941) Al Tassi (1942–1943) No team (1944–1945) Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1946) Edward McKeever (1947) Joe Kuharich (1948–1951) No team (1952–1958) Robert MacKenzie (1959–1962) Len Beattie (1963) Ron Piercall (1964–1968) Vince Tringali (1969–1971) Unknown (1972–1981) Club team (1982)

San Francisco Dons head football coaches

William N. Thorpe (1917)
No team (1918–1923)
Jimmy Needles (1924–1931)
Spud Lewis (1932–1936)
George Malley (1937–1940)
Jeff Cravath (1941)
Al Tassi (1942–1943)
No team (1944–1945)
Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1946)
Edward McKeever (1947)
Joe Kuharich (1948–1951)
No team (1952–1958)
Robert MacKenzie (1959–1962)
Len Beattie (1963)
Ron Piercall (1964–1968)
Vince Tringali (1969–1971)
Unknown (1972–1981)
Club team (1982)

v t e Boston Yanks head football coaches
Herb Kopf (1944–1946) Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1947–1948)

v t e Lafayette Leopards head football coaches
No coach (1882–1890) Wallace Moyle (1891–1892) Pearl T. Haskell & H. H. Vincent (1893) Hugh Janeway & H. H. Vincent (1894) Parke H. Davis (1895–1897) Samuel B. Newton (1898–1901) Dave Fultz (1902) Alfred E. Bull (1903–1907) George Barclay (1908) Bob Folwell (1909–1911) Samuel B. Newton (1911) George McCaa (1912–1913) Wilmer G. Crowell (1914–1916) Punk Berryman (1917) Lewis A. Cobbett (1918) Jock Sutherland (1919–1923) Herb McCracken (1924–1935) Ernie Nevers (1936) Edward Mylin (1937–1942) Ben Wolfson (1943–1945) Edward Mylin (1946) Ivy Williamson (1947–1948) Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1949–1951) Steve Hokuf (1952–1957) James McConlogue (1958–1962) Kenneth Bunn (1963–1966) Harry Gamble (1967–1970) Neil Putnam (1971–1980) Bill Russo (1981–1999) Frank Tavani (2000–2016) John Garrett (2017–2021) John Troxell (2022– ) # denotes interim head coach

Lafayette Leopards head football coaches

No coach (1882–1890)
Wallace Moyle (1891–1892)
Pearl T. Haskell & H. H. Vincent (1893)
Hugh Janeway & H. H. Vincent (1894)
Parke H. Davis (1895–1897)
Samuel B. Newton (1898–1901)
Dave Fultz (1902)
Alfred E. Bull (1903–1907)
George Barclay (1908)
Bob Folwell (1909–1911)
Samuel B. Newton (1911)
George McCaa (1912–1913)
Wilmer G. Crowell (1914–1916)
Punk Berryman (1917)
Lewis A. Cobbett (1918)
Jock Sutherland (1919–1923)
Herb McCracken (1924–1935)
Ernie Nevers (1936)
Edward Mylin (1937–1942)
Ben Wolfson (1943–1945)
Edward Mylin (1946)
Ivy Williamson (1947–1948)
Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith (1949–1951)
Steve Hokuf (1952–1957)
James McConlogue (1958–1962)
Kenneth Bunn (1963–1966)
Harry Gamble (1967–1970)
Neil Putnam (1971–1980)
Bill Russo (1981–1999)
Frank Tavani (2000–2016)
John Garrett (2017–2021)
John Troxell (2022– )

# denotes interim head coach

v t e 1919 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football—national champions
21 Hunk Anderson 66 George Gipp Eddie Anderson Leonard Bahan Norman Barry Dutch Bergman Joe Brandy Fod Cotton Frank Coughlin Cy Kasper Roger Kiley Bernard Kirk Slip Madigan Grover Malone Harry Mehre John Mohardt Buck Shaw Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith Fritz Slackford George Trafton Earl Walsh Chet A. Wynne Head coach: Knute Rockne Assistant coach: Gus Dorais *selected national champion by NCF

1919 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football—national champions

Head coach: Knute Rockne
Assistant coach: Gus Dorais

*selected national champion by NCF

v t e 1920 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football—national champions
21 Hunk Anderson 66 George Gipp Eddie Anderson Norman Barry Joe Brandy Fod Cotton Frank Coughlin Chet Grant Cy Kasper Roger Kiley Harry Mehre John Mohardt Eugene Oberst Bob Phelan Buck Shaw Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith Earl Walsh Chet A. Wynne Head coach: Knute Rockne

1920 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football—national champions

Head coach: Knute Rockne

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