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BRIDGE CITY — Bridge City’s football team added an area coach to its staff.

Former Nederland defensive coordinator Chris Theriot is joining the Cardinals in the same capacity and is taking over the boys track program.

Theriot was at Nederland for 15 years alongside former Bulldogs coach Monte Barrow, who resigned earlier this year. The defensive coordinator has lived in Bridge City for several years and has children in the district.

“It is a blessing to be able to work in the same district as my kids,” Theriot said. “I’ve also known a lot of these kids since they have been in kindergarten. It has been an easy transition for me and my family. I appreciate Bridge City ISD for giving me this opportunity to be closer to home. I am very excited about the direction the program is headed.”

Bridge City hired Josh Smalley in December after interim Head Coach Chad Landry finished the year for Cody McGuire, who resigned last year.

The Cardinals finished last season 3-7 (1-5 in district).

Smalley brought on a defensive coordinator who has seen his share of success with the Nederland Bulldogs.

“I think the years we made it to the quarterfinals were very special,” Theriot said. “We got to beat Pearland Dawson at NRG Reliant Stadium in overtime. We had lost to them the year before. The whole offseason was based on getting back to that. We also didn’t lose a district ball game for 6-7 years in a row. That was very special. When you don’t lose a district ball game for that many years, it is a pretty awesome feat.”

Theriot said his defense is going to have multiple fronts, allowing the Cardinals to attack at various points on the opposing offenses.

“We are going to be very disciplined, tough-minded, great tacklers and smart,” Theriot said. “Those are some key factors in us being successful. Today’s offenses have changed so much. As the game evolves, we have to evolve. I don’t think we are going to be set up as a one-type defense. We are going to be multiple in a lot of different ways. We want to do a lot of things in different formations. And it could look different depending on which teams we are facing.”

Theriot has been on the Bridge City campus since the spring, using some of his built-up time off at NISD to help start the installation process for the defense.

“I feel like we are not too far off of where we need to be at this point in time,” he said.

— Written by Chris Moore