When Matt Smith was hired as the new Montgomery County football coach for the 2025 season, he’s thrilled about taking over a big role after being an assistant just a year ago.

“I’m super excited,” Smith said. “I’m just ready to get everybody here and kind of get a routine going. I’m a big routine guy, so getting a routine is going to be the biggest thing for me.”

Smith took over duties for John Klekamp, who headed the MCHS football program for 15 years and recently accepted an assistant coaching position at Wright City. He was hired at the end of the school year.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” Smith said. “We had a lot of things going on from trying to find coaches to setting things up and learning the ropes. Obviously, it’s a new position for me.”

Smith will coach a MCHS football program which hopes to get back to its winning ways this fall. The Wildcats finished with losing records in two of the last three years, including a 3-7 mark in 2024.

“Our kids have to be disciplined, which means showing up when they are supposed to show up, doing what they’re supposed to do when they’re supposed to do it and how they’re supposed to do it,” Smith said.

The MCHS football program will enter its 52nd season this fall. The Wildcats won 21 Eastern Missouri Conference championships and 11 district titles and a second-place state tournament finish during their history.

Last year, Smith joined the MCHS football coaching staff after working at Louisiana. He works as a physical education teacher at Jonesburg Elementary School. He said one of his goals as head coach is to build a strong relationship with the players.

“Learning the kids is the biggest thing because obviously I’m not at the high school,” Smith said. “I want to see them during football practice.”

Smith enjoyed a busy summer as head coach that included a two-hour practice on July 11, which had a visit from Tony Palmer, a former football player for the Missouri Tigers and the Green Bay Packers and a current football coach at Rock Bridge High School in Columbia.

“The summer was good,” Smith said. “We had our two-week camp. We went to Hut-Hut (in Higginsville). We had a lot of kids show up and they did a good job. They played hard. Our weights have been pretty steady. Obviously, we have to keep getting better.”

Smith said he had 45 players who participated in practices and camps this summer.

“Obviously, we would like to get to 50, but football is hard,” Smith said. “If you don’t really know what you’re going to get until the season starts because some kids don’t buy in until the season. Whoever comes, we’ll work hard and play hard and we’re just excited about it.”

The Wildcats are scheduled to have a scrimmage against Winfield on July 23. They will compete in a jamboree at Winfield on Aug. 21. MCHS’ first game will be against Hermann on the road on Aug. 29 and its first home game will be against North Callaway on Sept. 12.

Smith, who graduated from Van-Far in 2003, will lead an MCHS coaching staff that will include Sam Poggas, Jordan Aulbur and Austin Keith.