Robinson looks to return Little Rock Central gridiron program to lofty heights

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

LITTLE ROCK – As a Little Rock native, Anthony Robinson has a vested interest in returning Little Rock Central – the winningest gridiron program in the history of the state of Arkansas state – to its former glory days.

The former Conway assistant, in his second year at the Central helm after taking over in May 2023, is overseeing both a reclamation of the Tigers’ roster and a multi-million renovation of fabled Quigley Stadium and a new indoor practice facility.

It is a program that is on a 31-game losing streak and has not won a game since shocking Fayetteville 38-35 in 2020 in the first round of the Class 7A state playoffs.

But it is also one that has a record 32 state titles, 44 conference championships and two national championships.

“One of the biggest things is that I’m a Little Rock native so coming up and being around the Little Rock Central program, I have first-hand knowledge of what it used to be and what it can be,” Robinson said. “So we are always just striving to get back to what it once was.

“…We walk into our weight room every day and see those 32 flags with state championship on it. It just does something to your spirit when somebody says this school has 32 state championships and we have 44 conference (championships) and you look up and see two national championships. Who else has that?

“It is great to look at, but at the same time the kids really buy into it and understand they are only meeting what other guys have met only inspires them.”

Robinson, whose team was 0-10 last season while playing home games at JA Fair, is using the facilities updates – scheduled to be completed in mid-August – as a metaphor for rebuilding the program.

“What we have been preaching to the kids is our program is a lot like the construction has went,” Robinson said. “We were building the foundation, we were laying the ground work. When they started putting up the beams, we felt like we are going up and now that that they are putting the finishing touches on it, we feel like we are doing the same thing.

“The culture on the team is entirely different and the thing that I tell them all of the time is if I can affect this guys and then they go out and affect their pods within the school then we affect the school then we affect the community. And then once we affect the community then we effect the whole state.

“We can take it as symbolism as what we are trying to do with our program.”

The Tigers were shut out five times last season and outscored 450-58 for the season.

“What I need to see from the guys is that they are going to compete,” Robinson said. “What I am looking for is just the mental toughness to be able to last through rigorous training and finish days of practice.

“Last year we struggled in finishing at practice, finishing in days of work and then when we got into the season, we struggled finishing in the second half. We played a couple of games good in the first half. Cabot last year, good first half. Fort Smith Northside, good first half and (Little Rock) Southwest was a good first half game and then the second half we let it get away.

“So what I am looking for is guys finishing games and competing through four quarters.”

It helps that Robinson has had a full year with his team, which he didn’t have last season after taking over in the summer for former Central head coach George Shelton.

“This year…we have a better understanding of the team that we have going into the season,” Robinson said. “I think last year we had one 7 on 7 and one team camp. This summer we were able to get into several of them starting in June and also in July so going into week one we have an idea of what our team is and what the temperament is.

“Also we had a rigorous off season – a boot camp-style off-season where we represent the Dime principles – discipline, invest, mental toughness and extra effort. The guys have bought in. The team is more my team now than last year when I felt like I was handed somebody else’s team and had to go fight and play with that guy’s team.”

Central, who expects to have 92 players on its roster when practice officially stats next week, has seven starters back on offense, but just one on defense.

“We have our entire O-Line line coming back,” Robinson said. “We are still young. I don’t think we have a senior on our O-Line. We have five O-Linemen who all played last year. We also have our quarterback, who played the last half of the season.”

Those offensive starters also include quartergback Paxton Clegg and tight end KJ Smith and will add in a couple of key performers in running back Alonzo Montgomery and wide receiver Caleb Fleming, who both suffered ACL injuries last season.

Sophomore wide receiver Dallas Bledsoe, the son of Central and Arkansas star Fred Bledsoe, who passed this summer, is one of several targets Clegg will have to throw to this season.

“This year we have been making strides, I finally got to go through an off season with these guys,” Robinson said. “They have been working hard all summer and we are excited to get going. We have a benefit game against Jacksonville on the 23rd and we will be hosting it at our site at Quigley.

“Then we come back on the 30th and go to Springdale and have our first game. We are just excite to be here and excited to get the year started.”

Photo by John D. James