Dixon's Dave Smith resigns as head football coach after 9 seasons

DIXON – Dave Smith ushered in Dixon football's most successful run of the playoff football era, but he is stepping down after nine seasons as head coach.

Smith's resignation as football coach and driver's education teacher was approved Wednesday evening at the Dixon School District's monthly board meeting.

Smith, a 1980 graduate of Dixon High, came back home in 2011. After guiding teams to just five wins and 22 losses in his first three seasons, the Dukes have a 43-21 record in the last six seasons.

Dixon switched conferences from the Northern Illinois Big 12 to the Big Northern in 2014, and the Dukes have made the playoffs in each of the last six seasons.

Smith, 58, has coached football for 35 seasons, which have included stops at Eureka College and Aurora University, as well as Lake Park, Algonquin Jacobs, St. Charles and Genoa-Kingston high schools before becoming head coach at Burlington Central in 1997. He led the Rockets to a 50-22 record before moving to Princeton, where his Tigers teams finished 12-23 from 2006-07.

Prior to coming to Dixon, Smith coached for three years at Mt. Zion High School near Decatur, where his teams racked up a 28-5 record.

Smith's overall record as head coach is 138-93, with 13 playoff appearances.

Smith did not return a phone call for a comment Thursday morning.

Athletic Director Jared Shaner said Smith's resignation was a retirement.

"He just felt like it was the right time for him," Shaner said. "That's a long time in your career. We're just really thankful to have had him for the last nine years."

Shaner, who came to Dixon four years ago after serving as head football coach at Mount Vernon, said that working with Smith was a great experience for him.

"People ask me what he meant for Dixon High School football, and I can really summarize it up in one word: consistency. Dave's been here for nine years, and we've made the playoffs for 6 years in a row. As a whole football program, we only had five playoff appearances prior to him being here."

Consistency "is really what you want for a good, long-term program," Shaner said, "and a good foundation has been laid for whoever the next head coach is."

The coaching position was posted Thursday. Smith's teaching resignation will not be until June 26. The school board does not plan to have a meeting in July, but may schedule a special one if a choice for Smith's successor is known that month, Shaner said.