Jeff Smith played football at Walter Wellborn High School where he was named to the 1986 All-State team as a senior. Smith also played football at Jacksonville State before embarking upon his coaching career. He was a letterman for the Gamecocks between 1987-91.

In 1994 Smith accepted a position as an assistant coach at Hueytown where he stayed for three seasons. He was the offensive coordinator for coach Mike Battles from 1993 to 1995.

Coach Smith landed his first head coaching job at Ohatchee High School in 1997. He took a program that had fallen on hard times and turned it into a playoff team.

The Indians went 41-24 in Smiths six seasons at Ohatchee. They went 27-10 his last three years, making the playoffs each year. The best season came in 2001, when the Indians went 10-2. It was their first 10-win season since 1980.

Coach Smith became the head coach and athletic director at Hueytown in the fall of 2003. His first team finished 0-10 but things soon turned around with playoff spots four of the next five seasons.

In 2009, Smith returned to his alma mater to take over the football program. His teams have qualified for the playoffs each season since his return.

In 2012 Coach Smith joined the ranks of 100 win coaches in Alabama.