Anthony Lucas taking over top job at Pulaski Academy

Pulaski Academy assistant coach Anthony Lucas is shown during a game against ... will assume the role of Bruins Athletic Director — another ... PresentedBy Login Register Subscribe NewsAlerts FAQ Facebook Twitter Radio RSS ArkansasOnline NWAonline HawgsIllustrated Forums Football InsiderBoard Schedule Basketball InsiderBoard Schedule Women'sBasketball Baseball InsiderBoard Schedule MoreSports Golf Gymnastics Soccer Softball Track&Field ProHogs SEC Recruiting InsiderBoard Commitments Media HawgsIllustrated Galleries Podcasts Videos Contact Menu Forums Football InsiderBoard Schedule Basketball InsiderBoard Schedule Women'sBasketball Baseball InsiderBoard Schedule MoreSports Golf Gymnastics Soccer Softball Track&Field ProHogs SEC Recruiting InsiderBoard Commitments Media HawgsIllustrated Galleries Podcasts Videos Contact AnthonyLucastakingovertopjobatPulaskiAcademy By: MitchellGladstone Published:Friday,May21,2021 ( JimmyJones,SpecialtotheDemocrat-Gazette ) PulaskiAcademyassistantcoachAnthonyLucasisshownduringagameagainstMcClellanonFriday,Nov.16,2018,inLittleRock. WhenPulaskiAcademyannouncedthatitscoach,KevinKelley,wasdepartingforthecollegeranks,itwasfairtoaskhowtheBruinswouldreplacetheiriconicleader. NotonlywasitgoingtobeallbutimpossibletofindasuccessorwhocouldmatchKelley’son-fieldaccomplishments—ninestatetitles,includingsixinthelastsevenyears—butalsosomeonewithhiscachet. FormerUniversityofArkansasstandoutAnthonyLucasmayhavetroublereachingthesamelevelofnationalrecognitionasKelley,buttheformerRazorbacksreceiverwillhavetheopportunitytobuildonthejuggernautofaprogramhispredecessorestablishedafterPulaskiAcademypromotedhimtoheadcoachThursdayafternoon. “Idon’tevenwanttothinkaboutitbeinghugeshoestofillbecauseweknowthat,”LucastoldtheDemocrat-Gazette.“WeallknowwhatCoachKelleylefthere.…I’mjustsoexcitedforthesekids,forthesecoaches,forourcommunity,andI’mlookingforwardtotheopportunity.” Lucas,whohasbeenwiththeBruinssince2012andservedasreceiverscoachunderKelley,willhavethebenefitofseveralfamiliarfacesremaininginthePAprogram.AdamThrashwilltakeoverasoffensivecoordinator—arolepreviouslyfilledsimultaneouslybyKelley—andMadisonTaylorwillnowbetheBruins’soledefensivecoordinatorafterbeingco-defensivecoordinatorinpastseasons. JasonWyatt,PulaskiAcademy’sotherco-defensivecoordinator,willassumetheroleofBruinsAthleticDirector—anotherpositionthatKelleyheld—andWyattwillalsoremainanassistantcoachfocusingonthedefensivebackfield. TheshufflingofroleswassomethingthefoursomediscussedasagroupandthenpresentedtoincomingPulaskiAcademyPresidentBrockDunn,whoissettotakeoverforMattWalshonJuly1. “Theysaidtheyfeltlikethiswouldbebestoffwithmebeingtheheadcoach,andIwaslike,‘Areyousureaboutthis?’”Lucassaid.“IunderstandtheculturehereatPulaskiAcademyandtheexpectationsbecauseofthelegacythatCoachKelleyhasleft—it’sunbelievable.Butwhenwetalkedandcameupwiththisplan,theguystoldmetheyweregoingbebehindmenomatterwhat.” OneofthethingsKelleyexpresseduponhisdeparturewasadesirefortheprogramtoretainmanyofthestrategiesheimplementedandestablishedduringhisnearly20-yeartenure.Theyincludedalmostneverpunting,nearlyalwaysonsidekickingandutilizinganoffensethatfeaturesmostlydownfieldpassing. Butalsohopedtheprogramwouldretainitsculture,andLucas’abilitytobuildthatatmosphereasacoachiswhyKelleyhiredtheArkansasiconnearlyadecadeago. “[Anthony]hasapassionforpeople,”Kelleysaidinatext.“Iknewhewouldbesomeonethatkidswouldplayhardforandbeanencouragingforceatalltimes.Iknewhisknowledgeoffootballwouldbeanassetaswell,butbeingagreatmanisthemostimportantbecauseofallthelifelessonswewantourkidstolearn.” LucasexpectstositdownwithKelleyinthecomingweeks,andhavingthesupportofhisformerbossmakeshimthatmuchmorecomfortableinaroletheincomingheadcoachdidn’texpecttohavehandedhisway.Sofar,whathasmadetheBruinsanArkansashighschoolfootballfixtureisn’tgoingawayanytimesoon. “Therewasneveranytalkof,‘Weneedtoadjustthisornotbeaggressivelikewe’vebeen,’”Lucassaid.“We’renotgoingtoreinventthiswheel.We’rejustgoingtokeepbuilding,andlikealwayswhenwestarttheoffseason,ourgoalistowinastatechampionship.” CORRECTION:ThenewPulaskiAcademyoffensivecoordinatorwasincorrectlyidentifiedinapreviousversionofthisstory. Discussion Haveacommentonthisstory?JointhediscussionorstartanewoneontheForums. 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