This year's Arkansas Football Coaches Association Ronnie Roach Coaching Clinic at Hot Springs will be the biggest yet in its 11-year history.
More than 900 high school football coaches from Arkansas and surrounding states have pre-registered for the three-day clinic that starts Friday.
"That's a a record for us," said Fort Smith Southside Coach Jeff Williams, the association president. "We've been in the 800s before, but this one looks like it's going to be the biggest one we've ever had."
The first clinic drew about 125 coaches.
"The clinic has become more of a regional," Williams said. "We have coaches from Louisiana coming, Mississippi, Texas and Oklahoma."
All the colleges in the state are expected to attend the event for purpose of building relationships. Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman and his staff will attend.
The association works with the Arkansas Activities Association to improve safety and the game. An impressive lineup of speakers will be spaced out throughout the event.
"It's probably as good of a lineup of any clinic out there," Williams said.
The six Arkansas coaches who won state championships will speak Friday morning: Fordyce Coach Tim Rogers, Harding Academy Coach Neal Evans, Joe T. Robinson Coach Todd Eskola, Pulaski Academy Coach Kevin Kelley, Searcy Coach Mark Kelly and Bryant Coach Buck James.
Friday night speakers include former LSU defensive coordinator and new Baylor Coach Dave Aranda, Kansas offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon and Pittman.
Numerous retired coaches -- including David Alpe, Ronnie Clark, Kenny Smith, Ronnie Higgins, Eldon Hawley and Don Campbell -- will attend and hold a get-together Friday at 5:30 p.m. Pittman is expected to speak to the group.
The biggest award of the event will be given out during the retired coaches social meeting.
"We'll give out the staffs of the year for each classification as voted by our association and then we'll have the Broyles Award for the top assistant in the state," Williams said. "That started last year and David Bazzel has been really good with us in doing that. We'll give the Buzz Bolding Award to a retired coach that's put in a lot of years and has been very successful."
Former Conway coach Buzz Bolding said the retired coaches always look forward to the event.
"This is a good time for the retired coaches to meet all of the new college and high school coaches and share some of the old stories from years past," Bolding said.
Williams said the association embraces the older coaches.
"It's good to see them because we're such a close fraternity," Williams said. "You're used to seeing them because we all play against a lot of those guys and then when they retire, you don't see them all the time. It's a great time to reflect, and they get to come back and see each other."
Several of the state's younger high school coaches will be featured the second day.
"Saturday morning, we'll have skills and drills with up and coming high school assistants and first- and second-year head coaches," Williams said.
Arkansas coordinators Barry Odom and Kendal Briles will speak Saturday morning. In the evening, former Texas-El Paso offensive line coach Spencer Leftwich, Memphis Coach Ryan Silverfield, and former Arkansas and Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt will speak.
Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will have a two-hour session Sunday morning to close out the speakers.
Pittman was scheduled to speak at the clinic prior to being named the Arkansas coach. He attended the event during his previous time in Fayetteville. The gathering will allow the Hogs an opportunity to mingle with coaches throughout the state.
"I think it's huge because you pretty much get to hit every school in the state and build those bonds and relationships," Williams said. "That's how you build for years to come as far as recruiting. I've talked to Coach Pittman and he knows how big the clinic is because he's participated in it before."
Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 02/02/2020