KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- It wasn't the win Grace Christian Academy was hoping for, but Thursday the Rams did their best to remember their Coach Jeff Smith.

The former Vol died over the weekend after suffering complications of the flu. Family, friends and football fans gathered to remember Coach Smith on game day.

"It was his tradition and on ever game day he would say, 'What day is it?'" says Defensive Coordinator Greg Shelton. "And they knew it was game day and when Coach Smith told them it was game day they were ready to play."

And play they did, battling Oneida for the regional title, just as Smith would have wanted. "They are where their coach wants them to be, doing what he wants them to do and what he enjoyed sharing with them," says Shelton.

His seventh-grade son Patrick Smith is a member of the team. "Everyone's played football in our family really it's just the sport," says Patrick. Patrick wore No. 51 in honor of his father.

Jeff Smith's own game took him from West High School to Neyland Stadium as an offensive lineman and then to Grace Christian to inspire a new generation of players.

"Hopefully I can play football for long time. I'll try to wear 'JS' on my helmet every year. Just to do what I'm supposed to and try to make my dad proud," says Patrick.

A community of sports fans had pride in Jeff. "There were so many people coming in and expressing their sympathy for my brother Jeff," says Michael Smith of Knoxville, Jeff's oldest brother.

"It will be tough to replace a loss of a good friend," says Head Coach Travis Flickinger.

As the Rams play forward, they vow to remember and hope to impress Smith from down below.

"I think he'd just want us to be here watching. He's probably up there watching don't you think?" says Michael.

The Rams fell to Oneida 30-20.