FAYETTEVILLE — Heath McCracken has paid his dues in the Fayetteville football program.
Now it’s the Bulldogs who are reaping the benefits.
McCracken, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior, has always carried a defense-first attitude. But in his first two seasons at Fayetteville, a lack of depth behind quarterbacks Brandon and Austin Allen led to McCracken filling a needed role as the quarterback on the Purple’Dogs’ sophomore and junior varsity teams in 2010 and 2011.
Profile
Heath McCracken
SCHOOL: Fayetteville
CLASS: Senior
POSITION: Safety
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 190
NOTABLE: Spent two seasons as a backup quarterback before moving to defense full-time to defense this season. ... Has 74 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery for a touchdown this year.
McCracken didn’t complain, playing quarterback on Monday nights the last two years, while waiting on the opportunity to switch to his true passion of defense.
That opportunity has finally come this season as McCracken has been given a key role on the Fayetteville defense. And after patiently waiting his turn, he’s not letting anyone down.
“Heath started out as a sophomore, he played quarterback for our sophomore team because we didn’t have anybody else to play quarterback,” Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton said. “Then last year he played some defense for the varsity, but he also played junior varsity quarterback, because again we had to have somebody at that position.
“We knew Heath wanted to be on defense, but he stepped up for the team the last couple of years. And I’m so happy for him to be able to focus on defense here in his senior year and now he’s done such a good job for us.”
McCracken has played primarily weak safety this season, but has also filled in at linebacker while Fayetteville was dealing with injuries earlier in the year. While playing in the middle of the defense was needed to help the team, McCracken admits he feels more at home in the secondary.
“Last year they moved me around me a lot and I was really liking one position,” McCracken said. “Then they moved me to another position this year. But anything around the safety position I like.
“You get to kind of be the quarterback on defense and you get to tell the cornerbacks and linebackers what to do. You kind of run the defense, that’s neat and stuff.”
Patton agrees the safety spot is McCracken’s cup of tea. With Arkansas commit Alex Brignoni roaming the other safety position for the Bulldogs, it’s difficult to find a better duo.
“You put him back there at that weak safety spot and pair him with and it’s hard to find two better safeties,” Patton said. “There’s not two better sure tacklers around. And as good as he was for us at linebacker, he’s even better at safety.”
McCracken, who has 74 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and one fumble recovery this season, believes Fayetteville’s defense is hitting on all cylinders at the right time just as it did last year on the way to the Class 7A championship. And with another title in their sights, he is sure the Bulldogs are locked in to finish off this latest playoff run.
“The motivation is there with this team for sure,” McCracken said. “I’m pretty sure we’re trying to be the first team in 7A to win back-to-back titles. So that’s motivation enough for us.”