RECOMMENDATION IN FOR LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL FOOTBALL COACH

Frisco (Texas) Heritage offensive coordinator Kent Laster is being recommended as the new Little Rock Central football coach, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette learned Wednesday. The hiring is pending approval from Arkansas Board of Education Commissioner Johnny Key. Key acts in lieu of the school board in the state-controlled Little Rock School District. If hired, Laster, 43, will replace Ellis "Scooter" Register, who retired in February after a 43-year coaching career. Register had coached the Tigers since 2010. Little Rock School District Superintendent Michael Poore told the Democrat-Gazette on Wednesday that he wasn't sure about when the approval of Laster's hiring will occur. Blake Pizan, who had served as North Little Rock's offensive coordinator, was originally announced as Central's new coach April 4, but withdrew his application April 12. He said in a school district news release that he was not "fully committed" to coaching the Tigers. Poore said he did not do another round of interviews. Instead, he went back to the pool of candidates, which was 24 according to a response to a Democrat-Gazette Freedom of Information Act request. Laster was one of three finalists for the Central position along with Pizan and Casey Dick. Dick, a two-year starting quarterback at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in 2007 and 2008, was hired as Van Buren's head coach Tuesday after spending two seasons as Bentonville West's offensive coordinator.

Little Rock School District Athletics

RECOMMENDATION IN FOR LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL FOOTBALL COACH

Photo Credit: Central High School Athletics