By Michael Adams
madams@onthesidelinessports.com

Smithville Independent School District Board of Trustees voted on Wednesday to hire Fort Bend Ridge Point co-offensive coordinator Layne Neumann as the next athletic director/head football coach, as first reported by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.

Neumann replaces Cyril Adkins, who stepped down in January after 10 years as head coach.

Smithville is Neumann’s first head coaching job.

Neumann got his start as an assistant at Crosby and then was an assistant at Friendswood Clear Brook, La Porte and Lamar George Ranch.

After George Ranch, Neumann was special teams coordinator at Dickinson before taking over as co-offensive coordinator at Humble Summer Creek. Before arriving at Ridge Point, Neumann was special teams coordinator at Manvel.

It’s been quite the offseason for the Tigers, who finished 3-7 in 2023.

Smithville lost an appeal to change districts last month. Smithville ISD was trying to move into District 11-4A-II with La Grange, Giddings, Bellville, Caldwell and Navasota.

However, the UIL ruled against the appeal and kept Smithville in District 14-4A-II with state semifinalist Wimberley, Lago Vista, Salado, Jarrell, Gonzalez and Geronimo Navarro. The move also moves the Tigers into Region IV.