FAYETTEVILLE -- Billy Dawson resigned Monday after two years as head football coach of the Fayetteville Bulldogs.
Steve Janski, the Fayetteville athletic director, said Dawson's resignation is effective April 30.
Janski said Dawson plans to enter private business. Dawson, who replaced Bill Blankenship as the Bulldogs head coach, was 18-8 in two seasons at Fayetteville.
"We are thankful to Coach Dawson for his leadership with the Bulldog football team and his commitment to his players and their families," Janski said in a news release. "We wish him well in his new endeavor."
Janski said a search for a new head football coach is underway. Numerous attempts to contact Dawson by phone or text messages Monday were not returned.
Dawson came to Fayetteville from Russellville, where he led the Cyclones to a state championship in 2016.
He has made several coaching stops during a long career in Arkansas and Louisiana, including two stints at Nashville, where he complied a 91-13 record over eight seasons. He also coached at Siloam Springs.
Fayetteville went 10-3 and advanced to the second round of the Class 7A state playoffs in 2018, where the Bulldogs lost 28-25 to eventual state champion Bryant. Fayetteville finished third in the 6A-West Conference with a 5-2 record.
"Billy Dawson is a good dude," said Bentonville Coach Jody Grant, whose team beat Fayetteville 24-20 at home last season. "He was good to me and good to our coaches. We had some real battles with Fayetteville in games that came down to the wire. Our conference is ging to miss him, but I wish Billy well in his next venture."
Dawson directed an offense that averaged 41.7 points per game with a passing game that featured senior quarterback Darius Bowers and junior receivers Beau Stuckey and Connor Flannigan this season. Flannigan led the state with 102 catches for 1,695 yards and 20 touchdowns. Stuckey caught 63 passes for 991 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Fayetteville lost four consecutive games during Dawson's first season in 2017, but the Bulldogs still made the playoffs and finished 7-5 after losing 21-20 to Bryant.
Sports on 04/16/2019