From high school stardom to Mike Leach’s impact: How Isaac Smith became MSU’s top defender

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) — Before safety Isaac Smith was leading Mississippi State in tackles, he was a four-star prospect at Itawamba Agricultural High School. Isaac terrorized opponents on both sides of the ball, which garnered the attention of colleges across the nation.

The Division I offers started to pour in at the Smith household.

“We had like three bins of newspaper articles, offer letters, everything,” Smith said.

Isaac is the middle child in a family of athletes. His older brother Jaden played football in college and his younger sister Olivia is rising basketball star at Tupelo.

Isaac’s father Reggie won two state championships at Amory before playing football at Ole Miss. Isaac’s first offer came from Ole Miss, which was fitting considering it’s where both of his parents went to college.

“If you go back and look at 90% of the pictures that he took as a kid, he had on Ole Miss gear,” Reggie said.

But Isaac ended up at Mississippi State — and his journey to get there wasn’t conventional.

During his recruitment process, he developed a strong bond with head coach Mike Leach.

“He was a great coach, a great person,” Isaac said. “Just being around him for that little bit, it helped me know  I wanted to be here at Mississippi State.”

One of the moments Isaac cherishes most was when Leach showed up at his high school game when he wasn’t even playing.

“That meant a lot,” Isaac said.

With more than two dozen offers and signing day coming up, Isaac still hadn’t made up his mind. That’s when he went to Starkville to spend some more time with Leach.

“Isaac was down at their bowl game practice,” Reggie said. “He was communicating with coach Leach and they had a conversation that whole practice.”

But days later, the unthinkable happened. Mike Leach passed away Dec. 12, 2022 from heart condition complications.

“It was definitely a time that I would forever remember,” Isaac said. “It was unexpected. I don’t know, I still think about that a lot.”

Reggie said Leach’s death was tough on Isaac.

“Even though that was one of his top choices, we had to rethink some things,” his mother Krystal Smith said.

It was Dec. 20 — the night before signing day — and Isaac was down to two schools. It was between Mississippi State and LSU. Reggie said Isaac went into his room and prayed about it. When he came out, Isaac told them Mississippi State is home.

“One thing that he did say is this is where God told me I’m supposed to be,” Krystal said.

Now nearly two years later and two head coaches later, the sentiment remains the same for Isaac.

“No matter who the coach is, he is where he’s supposed to be,” Krystal said.