Central Coach Cox to Retire at End of Season

Central coach Bernie Cox announced his retirement effective at the end of the season. The second-winningest coach in Arkansas prep history is enduring the worst stretch since the school’s initial recorded season in 1904.

The Tigers are mired in a 17-game losing streak after a 31-0 Homecoming loss to Conway Friday night. The Tigers won back-to-back championships in 2003-’04 and owned a 27-1 record but are 21-26 in the five years following.

Cox (271-119-8), 65, became the head coach at Central in 1975. His teams won championships in 1975, 1978, 1980 1981, 1986, 2003 and 2004. Cox, an Arkansas Hall of Fame inductee, is the longest-tenured head coach in the state and only Wilson Matthews of Central (10) and Frank McClellan , of Barton (10) have won more titles.

Cox may remain at Central one more school year as a teacher but hasn’t reached a decision.