PREPS

Bartlett football hires Haywood County's Chris Smith as next coach

Wynston Wilcox
Memphis Commercial Appeal

Bartlett High School has its next football coach.  

The school announced in a news release Wednesday afternoon that it hired Chris Smith as its next football coach. Former coach Lance Tucker resigned in April to coach in Alabama.  

Smith, who has a record of 79-24 in the past eight seasons, returns to the Memphis area after coaching at Haywood County High School the past four seasons. He led Haywood to Class 4A state semifinals with a 13-1 record in 2022. The Tomcats lost to Pearl-Cohn, 53-47. He compiled a 48-8 at Haywood, reaching the semifinals all four years and playing for a state championship in 2020. 

Before leading Haywood, Smith coached four seasons (2015-18) at Germantown . Smith helped the Red Devils advance past the first round of the playoffs his final two seasons, including undefeated regular seasons. 

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Smith takes over a Bartlett football team reached the state semifinals last season, losing to Beech 50-39.