JOURNAL STAFF
Bossier High School moved quickly to name its new head football coach, and it’s an old Bearkat.
Haughton High School defensive coordinator Gary Smith is a 1990 Bossier High graduate who was part of the Bearkats’ coaching staff in the 1990s. He was announced Friday evening as the choice to replace DeAumante Johnson, who departed earlier this month following his second season at Bossier to rejoin the coaching staff at Captain Shreve.
Smith was Haughton’s defensive coordinator since 2016. He also served as strength and conditioning coach for the Bucs as they extended their string of playoff appearances to 26 years, all seven with Smith on staff.
Smith was head coach from 2004-06 at North DeSoto, leading the Griffins from 0-10 to a 4-6 record as they moved up to Class 3A.
He also impacted an even more impressive turnaround in Texas at McKinney High School, where that program moved from 0-10 to 27 wins over three seasons including a district championship as he was defensive coordinator.
New Bossier High principal Michele Tugwell made the announcement.
“We are so excited to have such a high-quality coach and alumnus returning to Bossier Memorial and leading the Bearkat football program for many years to come,” Tugwell said.
Smith has experience coaching several other sports.
The Bearkats were winless in 2022, moving up to Class 4A, after a playoff season in Johnson’s first year at the helm.
The move leaves two vacancies in the head football coaching ranks locally. North Caddo has not named a replacement for Johnny Kavanaugh, who moved to south Louisiana in early December, and Booker T. Washington is seeking a coach to replace Tony Reliford, who resigned late last month.
