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Top Georgia high school football assistant named head coach at Hardee (Fla.)

IMG_8358by: Andy Villamarzo02/15/26Andy_Villamarzo

Whenever head coaching moves happen between a coach leaving, it’s a rare occasion to see one go from Georgia to Florida. Last week, one of the top high school assistants out of the Peach State decided to make his return to Florida at Hardee High School.

Jeff Smothers, a top assistant at Toombs County (Ga.) last season, announced that he’s accepted the head coaching job at Hardee. Smothers leaves a Bulldogs’ program that won the GHSA Class A, Division I state championship in 2024 and was a finalist last season.

“I have officially been named the Head Football Coach of the Hardee County High School Wildcats,” Smothers said in his announcement. “Blessed to represent this community and school! So happy to be bringing my family back to FL and being a part of such a special place. Now back to WORK.”

The Wildcats just finished up their first season apart of the Sunshine State Athletic Conference and finished just below the .500 mark. Hardee has only put up one winning record in the last seven seasons, going 8-3 in 2023 under Brian Kemp.

There’s plenty of history when it comes to football for Hardee as they reached the FHSAA Class 4A state championship back in 1995, falling to The Bolles School, 28-21. Now Smothers will look to restore the glory days to the Wildcats as program hasn’t had back-to-back winning seasons since 2017-18.

Hardee finished with a 4-6 record in 2025 and as the No. 408 ranked team in the state, according to the final Florida 2025 High School Football Massey Rankings. 

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