Chase Smith leaves Robertsdale to start program at Orange Beach High

By John Underwood, john@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 3/22/19

ROBERTSDALE — After just one season at the helm as athletic director/head football coach of the Robertsdale Golden Bears, Chase Smith is leaving to take over the new program at Orange Beach High …

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Chase Smith leaves Robertsdale to start program at Orange Beach High

Posted

ROBERTSDALE — After just one season at the helm as athletic director/head football coach of the Robertsdale Golden Bears, Chase Smith is leaving to take over the new program at Orange Beach High School.

The Baldwin County Board of Education approved the transfer at its meeting Thursday, March 21. According to the meeting agenda, Smith’s new position will be effective April 1.

The former University of South Alabama assistant coach was 2-8 in his lone season with the Golden Bears after being hired to take over the program in February of 2018.

Smith served as an assistant coach for the Spanish Fort Toros for four years before joining Joey Jones’s staff at USA, where he was an assistant for six seasons. Smith replaced Brian Campbell, who was head football coach/AD for the Bears for six seasons.

Smith received a bachelor’s degree in 2005 and a master’s degree in 2008 in physical education from Jacksonville State. He began his career as an assistant at Spain Park High School near Birmingham in 2005, working with both offensive and defensive linemen.

A year later, he took over as running backs coach for Greenville High School, helping the Tigers to a 10-3 record, advancing to the 5A state quarterfinals.

He joined the staff at Spanish Fort High in 2007, working with running backs, then defensive line during the 2008 and 2009 seasons and offensive line in 2010. Smith also served as the Toros’ offensive coordinator in 2010, leading the Toros to a 13-2 mark and a 5A State Championship.

Overall the Toros were 39-13 during Smith’s tenure, going 11-2 and reaching the state quarterfinals in 2008; then going 11-3 while reaching the state semifinals in 2009 before winning the state title the following year.

Smith then joined Joey Jones’s staff at USA working with the offensive line as a graduate assistant in 2011 before moving to director of football operations in 2012. He then served as offensive line coach during the 2013, 2014 and 2015 seasons. He has served the last two seasons as the Jaguars’ tight end coach, leaving following Jones’s resignation last November.

According to published reports, Orange Beach High is scheduled to officially open during the 2019-20 school year with ninth and 10th-grade students set up in portable classrooms. A new school is expected to open for the 2020-21 school year.

The Makos likely will field a freshman team in 2019 followed by two years of junior varsity football before moving up to the varsity level, according to reports.

Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon officially welcomed Smith as the school’s new head coach during a reception held Friday at the Coastal Arts Center.