San Angelo Central has named Oklahoma Sooners analyst Mark Smith as its next head coach.

Before spending 2023 as an analyst at Oklahoma, Smith spent two seasons coaching linebackers at Colorado, he spent one year as the defensive coordinator at Long Island University in the FCS. Smith spent 2018-2019 on staff at Arkansas and he spent three years at SMU.

“The experiences over the past nine years in the college game have prepared me for the opportunity," Smith said. "I’ve been around so many great coaches in the Pac-12, SEC and Big-12 so schematically I’ve learned a lot, but people skills are so big in the college game and I feel like I’ve been through a master class in being a coach."

Smith is no stranger to the high school game. He was Hurst L.D. Bell's head coach from 2011-2014 where he posted a 21-22 overall record and led the Blue Raiders to the playoffs in three of his four seasons. He was Bell’s defensive coordinator the two years prior to that. Smith also coached as an assistant at Colleyville Heritage and Irving MacArthur.

Smith is a graduate of Abilene Cooper. He takes over a San Angelo Central squad that struggled to a 1-9 mark in 2023.

“I’m a West Texas kid," he said. "We’ve got a lot of ties to this part of the state. This is the football I grew up watching. Seeing teams like San Angelo Central, Permian, Midland Lee come to Shotwell Stadium it helped me fall in love with the game. So I feel back at home being in San Angelo. There’s a great comfort level for me and I have a great appreciation for the rich tradition and history here with the Bobcats. I’m thrilled to be a part of it."