Tuck set to take over Pointers

The Van Buren Pointers opened the 2018 football season with a win over rival Alma and closed it with a playoff appearance. In 2019, the Pointers will be under a new head coach as Crosby Tuck takes over for Casey Dick, who left to become the new head coach at Fayetteville on Wednesday. “I’m very excited, thrilled, to get a chance to give these kids — especially the seniors; some continuity,” Tuck said. “Even though I am their third head coach in three years, at least in this scenario they will feel a little less change. I’m already on staff and they won’t have to wonder what’s going to happen. “They already know what’s going to happen.” Tuck becomes the third head coach for the Pointers in the last five years. Tuck served as the offensive coordinator under Dick last season and directed an offense that averaged 21 points and 312 yards per game. “We found out about Casey Dick and about two seconds later, we named Crosby Tuck our new head coach,” Van Buren Athletics Director Randy Loyd said. “We feel like the best thing to keep the program moving forward with the success and the momentum we have right now, and with the support from the community, that this is best for our kids. This will be the third head coach for our seniors, and they are familiar with Crosby Tuck.” Tuck came to Van Buren from Georgia Christian in Valdosta, Georgia, where he went 6-5 with a playoff appearance. He also served as the offensive coordinator at Pea Ridge and Shiloh Christian and as an assistant at Leesburg, Fla. Tuck, who played at Shiloh Christian, played collegiately for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 2007 to 2010. The Pointers are scheduled to begin sanctioned spring football practices on Monday. The annual spring game is May 22. “I’m excited to get to work with this whole team, but this senior group is really special,” Tuck said. “They are going to be the leaders of this team. They fire me up. I’m just excited to come back and work with them. That was what made it easy to stay and hard to go somewhere else.” Fayetteville announced Dick as its new head coach on Wednesday afternoon. In a press release, Fayetteville Athletics Director Steve Janski said. “We had a great deal of interest in this position. We were able to select from a pool of highly qualified candidates, and we believe Casey Dick is the right fit for our student-athletes, our faculty and staff, and our community. Casey brings high energy and passion coupled with an innovative outlook on leadership and student relations. We believe Casey and Fayetteville football have a bright future. We look forward to welcoming his family into our Purple Dog family.” Dick will be Fayetteville’s third head coach in the last four years, taking over for Billy Dawson. Van Buren was 4-7 last year and 3-4 in the 7A-West, which included a forfeit over Springdale Har-Ber Van Buren opens the 2019 season in week zero at Siloam Springs on Aug. 30 before hosting Alma on Sept. 6. The Pointers host Fayetteville on Oct. 11.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

TUCK SET TO TAKE OVER POINTERS

LELAND BARCLAY

Times Record | 4/25/2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Submitted Photo