Former Bryant (Arkansas) football coach Buck James 'couldn’t pass up' opportunity offered at Conway

By Nate Olson | Photo by Jimmy Jones 

A day after he stunned the Arkansas prep sports world, former Bryant head football coach Buck James explained why he stepped away from the juggernaut program he built to take over at league rival Conway. 

“It is just an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” he said. “I love the kids, parents, administration and community at Bryant. Sometimes it is just better to move on. Nothing more than that. 

“It was nothing other than I needed change. People are trying to put things in my head or their head, but it is nobody’s fault.”

Some media members and others spent Tuesday on social media trying to decipher the move. There were two popular reasons. James dispelled both of those Wednesday morning.

Late last week two parents took to social media to express displeasure about James’ policy on not giving players rings if they quit the team, even if it was at the completion of the season. James was reluctant to get into specifics regarding the instances mentioned on social media but vehemently denied the blowback affected his decision.

“That had nothing to do with it,” he said. “I don’t air out decisions on things with kids. We do everything in-house. I don’t care what is on social media. Only about half of what is on there is true. There are two sides to every story, and I am not upset by what is out there.”

On the policy, he added.

“It is all about communication. You have to communicate. You can’t just not show up on your last day that you quit your job. It is a life lesson.”

Another popular theory on the decision centered on James losing his two coordinators. Earlier this spring longtime James friend and offensive coordinator Kirk Bock accepted the Bryant athletic director job, leaving that position open. Later, defensive coordinator Quad Sanders took the head-coaching job at Jonesboro.

“Both of them got a chance to do better for them, and that is what it is all about,” James said. “I’ve had eight guys that coached for me become head coaches at one time or another, and that is what I want. I have known Coach Bock since high school, and Coach Sanders had been with us for five years. I want [assistants] to do what they want and be successful.”

James decided last week he’d take the job that was left vacant by Keith Fimple, who took the Springdale athletic director job this month. Early Tuesday morning following the Memorial Day holiday, rumors began to appear on social media and spread like wildfire.

Because of that, the Bryant School District released a statement at 10:20 a.m. That is how most of the team was informed. James said he did not meet with the team since they were not set to start summer conditioning until next week. 

“I absolutely hate that,” James said. “[The news] got out before I thought it would, and I didn’t get a chance to tell people I wanted to tell before it happened, but that is social media. There were a lot of people guessing and putting stuff out there they didn’t know — it was like trying to drink out of a firehose.” 

James did meet with the Conway staff and players Tuesday afternoon. He was already turning the page and setting the stage for what he hopes will be a successful season for the Wampus Cats, who have qualified for the Class 7A state playoff semifinals three consecutive seasons. Standing in his way will be his old team, which hasn’t lost to the Wampus Cats in more than a decade. He didn’t lose to them once in his tenure at Bryant.

“It will be tough [playing Bryant],” James said. “I love the kids and the community. That is life sometimes. We are both going to be trying to win a football game. [Bryant] is going to be a good football team. They have nine starters returning on offense and six on defense. Whoever takes over as coach will have a good team.”

Fittingly, James leaves Bryant with 212 wins. That number represents the temperature at which water boils and became his mantra as the Hornets racked up 53 consecutive in-state wins and five straight Class 7A state championships. 

Leaving success like that behind caused vitriol to be spewed by many close to the program Tuesday.

“I am upset, too,” James said. “I poured my heart and soul into the Bryant program. I did the best job I could and ate, slept and breathed coaching. We had great kids, coaches and administration and great parent and community support. People were great to me. I am sad, but I am glad to accomplish what we did.”