He’s back. It did not take long for Chip Bilderback to return to coaching football at Columbia High School.
After a one-year hiatus, Bilderback has officially returned to the Pine Belt to lead the Wildcats once again. The head coach, who had spent six years at Columbia, left Mississippi following the 2023 season and accepted a job at St. Frederick in Louisiana to be nearer to his family.
At the time, Bilderback’s wife, Missy Bilderback, was serving as the head women’s basketball coach at Louisiana-Monroe. She has since been tabbed to lead Southern Miss’ women’s team in the same role now that legendary coach Joy Lee-McNelis has officially retired. So it made perfect sense for Chip to return to his old stomping grounds.
During his first stint with the Wildcats, Bilderback amassed an 85% overall winning percentage, led the Wildcats to three district titles, two state championship appearances, and a title victory in 2021.
“The Columbia School District is proud to welcome Coach Chip Bilderback back as the Head Football Coach of the Columbia Wildcats. Coach Bilderback’s return marks an exciting new chapter for our football program as we reunite with a leader who helped shape the Wildcats into a championship-caliber team,” a release from the Columbia School District reads.
“His previous tenure was defined by hard work, discipline, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, culminating in a state championship and a lasting impact on our student-athletes and community.”
Bilderback’s re-hiring follows Lance Pogue taking the Brandon High School job after spending one year in Columbia.
