After seven seasons with Pearl River Community College, the Wildcats’ head football coach is stepping down.
On Monday, PRCC announced that Seth Smith resigned as the frontman for the community college. Smith led the Wildcats to a 19-40 record during his tenure and went 3-5 partway through the 2026 season. The official reason for the PRCC alum’s resignation is currently unknown.
“We are profoundly grateful for Coach Smith’s leadership, and for the passion, care, and unwavering commitment he brought to our student-athletes and PRCC,” Pearl River President Dr. Adam Breerwood said. “His impact reaches beyond his role; through his example and dedication, he strengthened the Wildcat family and helped make PRCC a better place. We will always appreciate the time, energy, and heart he invested in our college and our football program.”
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Smith started his coaching career at Picayune after playing on both sides of the ball for PRCC as a student. From 2004-08, Smith coached running backs and defensive backs before taking over as defensive coordinator.
He then jumped to Pearl River Central High School in the same defensive coordinator role before getting his first chance at a head coaching role at East Central High School in 2013. Smith led the Hornets to their first playoff appearance in 12 years in just his second season. Smith’s best season with the Hornets came in 2017, when he led his team to an undefeated regular season and finished as MHSAA Class 4A runners-up.
His success in making East Central a championship contender gave him the opportunity to move to Poplarville to become the Wildcats’ head coach in 2020. Despite an unimpressive overall record during his time steering the ship, Smith’s teams were known for their lethal rushing attacks and gritty defense.
In his first and second seasons, PRCC finished with the top rushing offense in the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC). In what was Smith’s best season with the community college in 2022, the Wildcats ranked first in the MACCC in defense and sixth nationally in points allowed per game. He was also named South Division Coach of the Year that same season, when he led the school to its first six-win season since 2010.
However, over the next four seasons, including the ongoing 2026 campaign, Smith’s record was 8-26.
“Coaching comes with tremendous challenges, expectations, and pressures, but at the end of the day, the relationships we build and the people we impact matter most,” Pearl River Athletics Director Michael Avalon said. “Seth is a good man who is grounded in his faith, loves his family, and cares deeply about his players. He will always be a Wildcat. I have a great deal of respect for Seth and am grateful for the friendship we share. We wish him and his family nothing but the best in the next chapter.”