Navy coach Brian Newberry has a connection with the Oklahoma father and son

On December 28, 2024By Littum

FORT WORTH, Texas – Brad Smith knew where he wanted his son, Torahto go to college, to play college football, but the decision was Toran’s to make. After a weekend visit to Annapolis, Maryland, the summer before his senior year at Deer Creek High SchoolToran’s mind was made.

He wanted to attend United States Naval Academyjust as his father had hoped.

“When you walk on campus,” Brad Smith said, “you just feel like you’re in a place that’s special. I think that convinced him that weekend. Of course, I was convinced before we went up there.”

Apart from the obvious features of the Navy – the academic prestige, the honor of serving, etc. – was Brad Smith convinced Navy was the right place for his son because of its coach.

Brad Smith played left tackle at Westmoore High School and protected the blind side of his quarterback. A guy named Brian Newberry. More than 30 years later, Newberry, Navy’s head coach, is something of a protector for Smith’s son, a new offensive lineman for Midshipmen.

“Pretty nice,” Newberry said Thursday morning from Fort Worth. “Toran has some good bloodlines.”

Early Friday morning, about 10 Smith family members and friends will drive down from Oklahoma to watch Navy play OU at 11 in the Armed Forces Bowl. Toran won’t dress up—like most plebes, he’s a scout team player—but he and Newberry will have quite the cheering section at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth.

“It’s a blessing, to be honest with you,” Brad Smith said of the full-circle moment. “Just the fact that my son was a good enough player and good enough academically to get into the Naval Academy is obviously an achievement in itself, but knowing that he’s been coached by Brian, a good friend of me since high school… I know what Brian is about, I know the kind of leader he is and I know he cares about the kids he leads. That definitely gives me peace of mind.”

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Newberry graduated from Westmoore in 1992. Smith was a year behind. Newberry was a senior and Smith a junior when Westmoore went all the way to the 1991 Class 5A state title game, which the Jaguars lost in heartbreaking fashion to Putnam City North.

From being teammates in high school, Newberry and Smith played against each other in college — Newberry a safety at Baylor, Smith a guard at Tulsa. Smith’s first career start at Tulsa was in the 1995 season opener against Newberry’s Bears.

Nothing Newberry has done since then has surprised Smith, a battalion chief in the Oklahoma City Fire Department.

“I always joked that Brian seemed like he was 10 years older than the rest of us,” Smith said. “He was just such a leader. He was a coach on the pitch. It never seemed to get rattled. And obviously a great athlete.

“Brian is the kind of guy who would be successful in anything he chose to do.”

Navy is grateful that Newberry chose to be the football coach.

The Midshipmen went 9-3 in Newberry’s second season as head coach. Navy will clinch its fifth 10-win season this century if the Midshipmen beat Before on Friday.

Toran Smith is one of three Oklahomans on the Navy roster. All are beginners. Jake Moore, a hybrid linebacker, is from Mannford. Another linebacker, Henry Rothwell, attended Oklahoma Christian School.

Playing football at Navy is nothing like playing college football at Oklahoma. Or any other school that is not a service academy.

“It’s a lot different,” Navy linebacker Colin Ramos said Thursday. “It’s kind of like a high school schedule.”

Breakfast around 6:30 or 7 in the morning. Then a few morning hours. During lunch, the Navy football players lift weights and go to meetings. Then it’s back to teaching until 3:30 p.m

“From that point on, it’s soccer time,” Ramos said.

Until approximately 8 p.m., when study time starts.

“It’s a lot in one day,” Ramos said. “Teaches you good time management.”

All students at the Naval Academy are on full-ride scholarships. In return, they commit to five years of active service after graduation.

As Newberry put it, the service academies are the “unicorns” of college football.

“We’re still a developing program,” Newberry said.

Development of freshmen who Toran Smith to play as upperclassmen. Developing midshipmen to one day serve as officers.

Growing up, Toran Smith loved hearing his father’s stories from the “glory days” when Brad Smith and Brian Newberry were chasing a state championship at Westmoore.

Now Toran plays for his father’s old teammate.

“Brian, he sells himself without too,” Brad Smith said. “He’s an authentic, genuine person. Great leader. The same guy today that I knew 30 years ago.”

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Got a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe’s work and the work of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing one digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.