Former University of Arkansas coach Houston Nutt rooting on Fayetteville, former Razorbacks QB Casey Dick

The Fayetteville head coach started for Nutt for two seasons

Houston Nutt has celebrated some great wins at Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium. 

Nutt lost only once in his hometown as the University of Arkansas head coach. The most improbable of those was the win over LSU in the 2002 finale known by Razorbacks fans as ‘The Miracle on Markham’ which refers to the street the venerable stadium resides on. The Razorbacks beat the Tigers in the final seconds on a long pass from legendary quarterback Matt Jones to receiver DeCori Birmingham. 

Fayetteville head coach Casey Dick (Photo by Jimmy Jones)

Nutt hopes to celebrate again Saturday at War Memorial Stadium as he roots on Fayetteville High School and its coach Casey Dick, his former quarterback, in the Class 7A state championship game against conference rival Bentonville.

“[War Memorial Stadium] is one of my favorite places in the world,” Nutt said. “We were 21-1 in that stadium. Hopefully, I can bring [Fayetteville] some luck.”

Dick’s final game as a senior in 2008 was 31-30 win over LSU at War Memorial Stadium with first-year head coach Bobby Petrino, who replaced Nutt, roaming the sidelines. Dick, who was benched in favor of his brother Nathan, came into the game and hit London Crawford on a 24-yard TD pass with 22 seconds left to seal the win.

Dick returned to War Memorial for the first time two years ago with his Purple Dogs and fell to Bryant 42-38 in the 7A title game.

Now, he's back with a 12-0 squad on the cusp of the school’s first undefeated state championship.

“I’m really proud of him and his entire staff,” Nutt said. “Casey has shown so much leadership, and you see it in how hard his team plays. I have seen them play twice, and you can see it.”

Dick, who starred at Allen (Texas ) High School) in the Dallas area returned to Texas after pursuing the NFL in a mini camp stint with the New York Jets and a tryout with the Miami Dolphins. His first high school assistant coaching job was at Byron Nelson High School, also located in the Dallas Metroplex.

He was on the offensive staff at Bentonville West High School and then became a head coach at Van Buren at 32. He was only 4-7 in 2018, his lone season at the school, but guided the Pointers to their first playoff berth since 2000.

In 2019, Fayetteville hired Dick with a heavy recommendation from Nutt. Faytteville athletic director Steve Janski is a former graduate assistant under Nutt at Arkansas.

Some criticized the hire, and the boos got louder when Fayetteville only finished 6-6 and 4th in the 7A-West in his debut. Bryant blitzed the Bulldogs, the final time in the playoffs, and rival Bentonville ripped FHS 55-14.

The situation worsened in 2020, a COVID-shortened season, when Fayetteville was 4-6 (3-1 in the 7A-West) and lost to hapless Little Rock Central 37-35 in the first round of the playoffs. Bulldogs junior QB Bladen Fike mistakenly took a knee on fourth down with time left on the clock, and Little Rock Central took over and kicked a field goal to win the game with no time remaining.

The clip made the rounds and even appeared on ESPN’s Monday Night Football pregame show where NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss was critical of Fike.

The losing record and that game cast a cloud over the program.

“We talked on occasion during that time, but I knew Casey would be OK because I know what he is made of,” Nutt said. “I know how he is as a father, husband a leader. I knew he was down, and I told him it is OK to get knocked down as long as you keep getting back up.

“In life, you have some high highs and low lows. He got through it. Those tough seasons are worth it, when you go into a celebrating locker room with happy players. You get knocked down, but that is a great feeling.”

Since that 2020 season, the Bulldogs are 29-8 with two conference titles (7-0 in league play in 2021) and two title game appearances. Those two conference title seasons bookended the 2022 season which saw FHS finish 7-5 with a 37-0 loss to Conway in the 7A playoff quarterfinals.

Fayetteville avenged that loss with a 24-21-win last week in the playoff semifinals.

Nutt said he and Dick didn’t discuss a potential coaching career during his playing days, but it doesn’t surprise him that he’s pursued coaching and become successful.

“He was a gym rat, and the way he was in the meeting room and talking ball, there was no doubt in my my mind it was an avenue for him if he wanted it,” Nutt said. “His mom and dad were a great influence on him, and it just seemed like a natural fit.”

Dick impressed his coach with “good decision making” and grit. Nutt recalls when Arkansas won 50-47 at No. 1 LSU in 2007 in three overtimes, one of Nutt's bigger wins at UA, and Dick was lined up at receiver in the Wildcat formation and threw a block downfield for star running back.

“He’s tough with a lot of heart, and your team is a reflection of yourself,” Nutt said. “They are like him.”

Pulaski Academy head coach Anthony Lucas played on Nutt’s first team at Arkansas and was one of the top all-time Hogs receivers. He has won two state titles with the Bruins after serving as an assistant coach on several successful PA teams. Caleb Perry was an offensive lineman for Nutt and has breathed life into the Bauxite program, which features Arkansas commit Marcus Wimberly. Justin Bigham, a DeWitt native who played for Nutt at Arkansas and Ole Miss, is the head coach at Gentry.

Marcus Shavers, also an Allen native and Arkansas alum, is the head coach at McKinney, Texas.

“I’m proud of all of those guys,” Nutt said. “I’d be proud of them in whatever they accomplished, but seeing them coaching is even a little more special.”

And on Saturday, Dick could join Lucas as a championship-winning head coach.

“I am as happy as I can be for Casey,” Nutt said. “I’m happy knowing how great of a time those kids are having and what kind of a team guy Casey is. It is a great feeling.”