Register shifts to Central

LITTLE ROCK — A familiar face will try to energize Little Rock Central’s ailing football program.

Ellis “Scooter” Register, 58, was introduced as Central’s 17th head coach during a news conference Tuesday afternoon at the school’s Jess W. Matthews Library.

Register, who spent the previous seven seasons as head coach at nearby Little Rock Catholic,inherits a program that has produced 770 victories and 32 state championships in its storied history, but one riding consecutive winless seasons and a school-record 21-game losing streak.

“We have to restore the confidence in this program,” Register said. “We have to bring back the enthusiasm in this program.”

Register replaces Bernie Cox, who led the Tigers to a 271-123-8 record and seven state championships since 1975. Cox announced his retirement Oct. 10.

Central is just 21-30 since winning Class AAAAA state championships in 2003 and 2004, a period punctuated - particularly the past three seasons - by anemic offensive production and dreadful special teams.

“All I’m going to tell you is that we’re going to go to work, we’re going to get better and we will, I promise, we will win a football game next year,” Register said.

Central’s last victory came against Catholic (28-27) on Nov. 26, 2007.

In Cox’s final home game as Central’s coach, Catholic limited the Tigers to 14 total yards and three first downs in a 28-0 victory Oct. 30.

Central scored only 48 points in 10 games this fall, the lowest single-season total this decade in the state’s largest classification.

Central scored a Class 7Alow 80 points in finishing 0-10in 2008.

“To be honest with you, the last couple of years when Central would come on to the field, it looked like the Central of old,” Register said. “There’s a little something missing, and we’ve got to get that back. But I think we’ll be able to do that, or I wouldn’t be here today.”

Register was one of four coaches who interviewed late last week for the opening, Little Rock Athletic Director Johnny Johnson said.

Register said he interviewed for approximately two hours Friday morning. A search committee, headed by Central Principal Nancy Rousseau, offered Register the job later Friday, Johnson said.

Johnson declined to name the other three finalists but said Register was only applicant offered the job.

Johnson said Register accepted the position Friday and reaffirmed his decision Sunday night.

“They got the right man,” said Troy Green, a coach at Little Rock’s Forest Heights Middle School and a longtime friend of Register’s.

A Clarendon native, Register has spent the past two decades rebuilding programs at Little Rock McClellan, El Dorado and Catholic.

Register coached McClellan from 1990-1994, taking the Lions to the Class AAAA state championship in his final season.

Register’s eight-season run at El Dorado (1995-2002) was highlighted by a Class AAAAA runner-up finish in 2001.

Register moved to Catholic in 2003 and guided the Rockets to the Class AAAAA semifinals in 2005.

McClellan, El Dorado and Catholic had losing records the season before Register’s arrival.

Overall, Register has a 140-89-1 record and his teams have won or shared five conference championships.

“I think the biggest thing, when you look at his career, is he’s been successful every place he’s been,” Johnson said. “He’s also gone in and kind of resurrected programs. He went to McClellan, they were down. He went to El Dorado, they were down. He went to Catholic, they were down.

“I think the biggest thing for the committee is we wanted a proven head coach.The other thing was that he had been in our district for 20 years. He’s familiar with, I think, a lot of the obstacles to coaching in the district.”

Before moving to McClellan, Register also coached at four other LRSD schools: Hall High, Forest Heights Junior High, Booker Junior High and Henderson Junior High.

Register will work with Central’s Credit Recovery Program for the remainder of the school year until a possible teaching slot becomes available in 2010-2011, Rousseau said. Register will begin work Jan. 19.

The Little Rock School Board will officially approve Register’s hiring next month, Johnson said.

“I’m excited to be a Tiger,” Register said. “I started out as a Lion in Clarendon, Ark. I didn’t know I would end up a Tiger, but that’s where I am.”

Catholic has named defensive coordinator David Estes interim coach, Principal Steve Straessle said.

Straessle said Catholic would prefer to name Register’s replacement before the end of the school year.