Bluejay switch - Horrell will be one, Chaffee hires former one

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Chaffee football, which hasn't had a winning season in 12 years, is undergoing a coaching change.

Allan Horrell, who coached the Red Devils for the last four seasons, has resigned his duties at Chaffee to accept the principal job at Oak Ridge High School.

Athletic director Terry Glenzy said former Charleston football coach Terry Brashears will lead the Red Devils next season.

The decision to step down originated with Horrell.

"I'm just looking for a change," Horrell said.

Horrell will be leaving his alma mater, where he served not only as football coach, but also as Chaffee's high school principal the past three years.

"It's very time consuming," Horrell said of his dual role. "You have to change hats at 3:30 and change back again the next morning."

Brashears, who led Charleston to five winning records in seven seasons from 1978 to 1984, last coached in 1987, his second of two seasons as head coach at Farmington. Brashears, 55, has been in administration since. He retired as superintendent of the Twin Rivers school district in July after four years in that position.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge and getting back into it," Brashears said. "I've been away from it for a while, but it's something I've never forgotten. That's what got me into education in the first place."

Horrell served as an assistant to his brother, Brian, for three years at Chaffee before taking over for the 1999 season. He led the Devils to 3-7 records his first two seasons, the best Chaffee had fared since an identical mark in the 1991 season under Mick Wessel.

A highlight in Horrell's first season was a road upset over Portageville on homecoming night.

"I think that was the first time we'd beaten Portageville since back in the '80s," he said.

It was part of general competitiveness the Red Devils displayed.

"We had a couple 3-7 seasons where we were competitive with everybody and made things exciting again," Horrell said. "We kind of revived the rivalry a little bit with Scott City, playing them the past two years very close."

The Red Devils slipped to 2-8 in 2001 and went 1-9 this past season.

"It was frustrating, but at the same time it was fun," Horrell said. "To come home to your alma mater as head football coach is kind of a dream come true."

Glenzy commended Horrell for staying upbeat through lean times.

"He was very positive with the program," Glenzy said. "He wanted to win as bad as anybody, especially with it being his old school."

The task of righting the Red Devils now belongs to Brashears.

"It's going to be tough," Brashears said. "There's not much in the way of experience and not much in numbers. It's going to be one of my major emphasis to try and get our numbers up and see if we can't get the program moving in the other direction a little bit. I'm not saying I'm a miracle worker, because it's strictly up to the kids how much they want to work and how much want to succeed."

Chaffee was able to fill the vacancy much quicker than its boys basketball and girls volleyball positions. The school is still looking for a replacement for David Mirly, who recently resigned from both positions to become boys basketball coach at Woodland. With no teaching positions available, Glenzy said the district will have to hire coaches with no teaching duties, which limits the candidates.

jbreer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 124