Fort Smith Athletics Director Jim Rowland had been looking for his man for nearly two months.
Rowland finally got him.
Mike Falleur will be introduced as the Northside Grizzlies’ new head football coach at a press conference on Friday.
Falleur, a 1980 Northside graduate, spent the past 20 years as a head coach in Georgia. He has an overall record of 152-80 including a 10-10 mark in the past two seasons at Villa Rica. Prior to Villa Rica, Falleur was the head coach at Northwest Whitfield, where he was 58-37 in nine seasons.
Falleur had coaching stops at Tucker (1992-95), Burke County (96-98) and Elbert County (99-2001) prior to Northwest Whitfield (02-10).
He has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Arkansas.
Northside has struggled the past few seasons and finished 3-7 in 2012. Darrell Henry resigned as coach of the Grizzlies on Nov. 5 after 11 seasons. Henry was 57-64. The Grizzlies did win a playoff game in 2011 but failed to record more than five wins in each of the past four seasons.
Northside has won 15 state championships but none since 1999 while winning 15 conference championships in the schools rich history.
Rowland interviewed nine finalists for the position late last week, many with local ties. Northside offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Charles Baty and quarterbacks coach Chad Frazier were among the nine finalist. Southside linebackers coach Steven Thessing, Southside defensive coordinator Keith Fimple and Southside offensive line coach Tad Stewart also interviewed.
Greenwood offensive coordinator Chris Young was among the finalist and has helped the Bulldogs win three straight state championships. Young is the son of former Northside head coach Joe Fred Young. The elder Young was the head coach from 1981-1998, and won a state championship in 1987.
Fayetteville assistant Daryl Anderson as well as McAlester head coach Bryan Pratt also interviewed for the position.
