Michael Smith came to Rice with a reputation for developing 1,000 yard running backs and he enhanced that notion as Quinton Smith fashioned the sixth such season in Owls's history.

The 1995 Kansas State graduate coached Wildcat running backs to 1,000 yard seasons in four of his last five years at the school and guided the top three career rushers in K-State history in Darren Sproles, Eric Hickson and Mike Lawrence.

Smith has also directed a running back to the single-season rushing record in three of the last five seasons, including Sproles, a first team All-America in 2003. After spending the 1992 season in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, Smith returned to K-State as a student assistant.

As a graduate assistant in 1995 and 1996, Smith assisted Greg Peterson with the receivers. In nine seasons as running backs coach, Smith saw his pupils score 284 rushing touchdowns, including a school-record 53 in 2002. Smith has also coached four former backs in the National Football League, Rock Cartwright (Washington), Joe Hall (Kansas City), Josh Scobey (Arizona) and Sproles (San Diego).

During his playing career, Smith was known as one the Big Eight Conference's all-time great receivers. He concluded his playing career as the Big Eight's second-leading receiver with 179 receptions, trailing just Oklahoma State All-American Hart Lee Dykes. The total of 179 catches ranked 40th in NCAA history at the time. Smith was named third-team All-America by the Associated Press in 1991 and honorable mention All-America in 1989 by the AP and UPI. Smith was also a two-time All-Big Eight selection (1989 and 1991).

His career total of 2,457 receiving yards was third-best in Big Eight history behind Dykes and 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers. The total was bolstered by nine 100-yard receiving games, which was a school record at the time.

Smith also posted three of the top four games in K-State history with 179 yards vs. New Mexico (1990), 174 yards vs. Washington (1991) and 172 vs. Nebraska (1991). Smith also owned three of the top five reception games in school history, including 13 catches for 166 yards vs. Missouri in 1989. He led the Big Eight as a sophomore in 1989 and was seventh in the nation with 70 catches for 816 yards. In 1990, he had 46 receptions for 796 yards in 1990 and tallied 55 for 768 in 1991.

Smith, who earned his Kansas State degree in social science, has two daughters, Kylie and Kenzie.