BRYANT, Ark. — Bryant Public Schools announced on Tuesday that head football coach Buck James was leaving the district to join Conway Public Schools as the next head football coach of the Wampus Cats.
James is replacing former head coach Keith Fimple, who left Conway in early May to become the athletic director at Springdale.
Bryant Public Schools released the following statement on James' departure:
"While we were surprised to learn of this development, we wish Coach James the best moving forward," Superintendent Dr. Karen Walters said. "Under his leadership, the staff and teams at Bryant High School achieved unprecedented success in the history of Arkansas high school sports."
The Hornets will now search for James' replacement and said they are committed to finding a proven leader to continue their winning tradition.
In his seven years at the helm, James helped build Bryant into a powerhouse football program. Joining the coaching staff in 2016, James compiled an 80-9 record with the Hornets and helped the team win the last five Class 7A state championships.
Bryant is riding a 53-game in-state winning streak, with its last loss to an Arkansas team dating back to 2017 against North Little Rock.