The Chillicothe High School football program has elevated Chad Smith from defensive coordinator to head coach, with the decision, passed by the Chillicothe School Board on Wednesday night, giving Smith the job after a three-year run by Tim Rulo, who resigned earlier this year to grab the opening at Russellville High School, citing a want to get closer to his parents in mid-Missouri.
The head coaching job at Chillicothe has been been open very often over the past five decades, with the historically-great run of Bob Fairchild followed by Phil Willard, who retired prior to Rulo’s hiring. Although Chillicothe’s fortunes fell beneath the program’s lofty standards in recent years, there is promise in the program, with several underclassmen who played significant roles in 2020 returning this fall.
In addition to his duties as defensive coordinator of the Hornets, Smith has also spent several years as head coach of the Chillicothe boys wrestling program.
