By Mark Buffalo, Sports Editor

After three years as head coach and six total at Carlisle, Bison football coach Gary Wilson was recently hired as the defensive coordinator for the Prairie Grove Tigers in northwest Arkansas.

Wilson led the Bison to a 32-5 record and three conference titles during his tenure as head coach. He was the defensive coordinator for head coach Caleb Shock when the Bison finished as the Class 2A state runners-up in 2022.

“I sent my resume to Coach [Nick] Brill, their new head coach, and he took a look at it,” Wilson said. “We talked for a while. He brought me in for an interview. He’s got a lot of really good ideas and excited about what he wants to do with the program. I just felt like it was a good fit. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up.”

Wilson said it felt like it was time for a change.

“There is also a lot of opportunities up there for my wife Jennifer in northwest Arkansas, being a speech therapist,” Wilson said. “It just seemed like the right time.”

Prairie Grove is in Class 4A. Carlisle is Class 2A.

Wilson said he is thankful for Shock.

“I wouldn’t be in the position to take a job like this if Coach Shock hadn’t take a chance on me and believed in me from the get go,” he said. “He recommended me to be the head coach when he left. Without him, I’m not having any of the success we’ve had the last three years. I wouldn’t have even had the chance to. I owe a whole lot to him and a whole lot to Coach [William] Routnree for hiring me as head coach before he stepped down as superintendent. Without those two guys, I’m not in the position to do this.”

Wilson is an alumnus of Carlisle High School.

“I went back and forth so many times over this decision,” he said. “My parents are here. My oldest son Gabe will be here. My boys have seen my mom and dad every day for the last seven years. I had to do a lot of thinking and soul searching on this one.

“It’s bittersweet. I’m leaving behind a really good group of guys. I love all of them, and I’m going to miss them. But, at the same time, I’m excited for what’s next. I know someone will come in here and care about those guys like I did.”

Carlisle superintendent B.J. Greene said he was appreciative of Wilson’s tenure as coach.

“Coach Wilson is getting a chance to move up, and it’s from himself, dedication and hard work, and it’s from his staff’s dedication and hard work and our players dedication and hard work,” Greene said. “As coaches, we all understand that it’s our goal to continue to improve and move up the ladder. Coach Wilson is going to get that opportunity because of the hard work he did.

“Over the last three years, he’s had one of the most winningest programs in the state of Arkansas. That goes to him, the state and the kids. He’s done nothing but good things for our program. He’s added players to our program when he took it over. Our program was already in a really good spot. He’s got more players out there, which made us better.”

Greene said the search for a new coach will entail coaches on staff as well as coaches from outside the school district.

“We’re going to find what we think is the best coach to continue to lead our program and continue to do things that we know our players, our community and our alumni want. They want Bison football to continue the tradition of being very good.”