BUTLER TWP — When Eric Christy broke into coaching high school football, it was at Clarion-Limestone with Todd Smith.

That was approximately 15 years ago.

“Todd was my mentor,” Christy said.

Now he's his offensive coordinator.

Smith has been offensive coordinator and head coach at C-L. He is still C-L's head baseball coach. He coached tight ends and wide receivers for a year at Clarion University. He's been a longtime Little League coach as well.

“When I met my wife (Melissa), I was already in coaching,” Smith said. “We've been married for 26 years. The woman is a saint.”

Since Christy became Butler's head coach in 2018, he went after Smith to join his staff. That finally happened last season.

And when Butler wide receivers coach Eric Germani had to vacate that position after the 2020 season to become a postal worker, Smith had a replacement in mind.

He's been good friends with longtime fellow C-L assistant and Little League coach Lee Weber, who coached wide receivers for the Lions.

“I told Eric I had a guy in mind,” Smith said. “Now I'm working with the two best friends I've ever had in coaching.

“I love it.”

He must. Smith and Weber drive an hour to and from practice every day as both are high school teachers and residents in Clarion.

Weber has been married to his wife, Kris, for 25 years. Both men have three children, all in their 20's or teen years.

“We meet in Shippenville every day after school,” Smith said. “One of us leaves his car there, the other one drives us to Butler.”

“Whoever's not driving buys the food after practice,” Weber said, laughing.

Their days are long. They arrive at school in Clarion at 7:15 a.m. They return to their homes there at 7:15 p.m., when their wives usually have dinner awaiting.

“Extremely understanding people,” Weber said of their wives and families. “They sacrifice a lot so we can do this.”

Of course, they're used to it.

Weber still coaches wrestling, baseball and Little League in Clarion. He is one of the oldest members of his Little League's board of directors.

So why add Butler football to the long list of obligations?

“For me, it was a chance to coach football with Todd again,” Weber said. “When you get older, your family becomes the No. 1 priority. And I got my family's support on this.

“I didn't know Eric well when I started coaching at Butler this year, but I've gotten to know him. He's a godly man and I recently became a godly man. We have a connection there.”

Smith said Christy is “almost like a son to me. I have so much respect for that man.

“I love the guy. He took this job at his alma mater because he wanted to make a positive difference in kids' lives. Reuniting as a coach with him is well worth the trip.”

One deal the pair did make with Christy was not making the trip to Butler on weekends, using Saturday and Sunday for family time instead.

Well, most of the time.

“We do meet virtually and I probably spend 10 hours a weekend doing that or breaking down film, formulating a gameplan,” Smith said.

Butler's offense has rushed for more than 1,500 yards this season and passed for more than that total as well.

Christy credits much of those numbers to Smith.

“He's an offensive genius,” Christy said. “We had great times coaching at C-L, great success, too. We went to two Western semifinals. I'd stay over at his house on Sunday nights and we'd be up until 3 a.m. devising a gameplan each week.

“Todd has a standard. If you don't get to that standard, he'll let you know.”

Christy quickly came to respect Weber as well.

“Every day he comes down here, the first thing out of his mouth is 'what do we need? What can I do?,'” he said of Weber. “He's always eager to help out.

“Those guys go above and beyond, driving down here and back to Clarion every day. I know we're a better football team for it. I don't know where we'd be without those guys.”