When you hear later today that Ron Calcagni will be the next head football coach at Henderson, that's Henderson Middle School in west Little Rock. We just got a call on that.

Calcagni, the former Arkansas quarterbacking star of the 1970s, was set to coach the All American Football League Team Arkansas in the fledgling organization this spring before it postponed operations just days before training camp was to begin. That left not only Calcagni, but a lot of players hoping for a break in professional football out of work.

Calcagni will always be a hero to many for leading Arkansas to a 31-6 win over Oklahoma in the 1978 Orange Bowl. As a junior and senior at Arkansas, Calcagni's Hogs, coached by Lou Holtz, went 20-3-1, and in 1978 Calcagni and Ben Cowins along with Holtz graced the cover of Sports Illustrated college football preview issue (before the days of regional covers like last year's D-Mac SI cover).

Calcagni post-coaching work including a few seasons in the front office of the Arkansas Twisters of arenafootball2.

The Henderson Middle kids should consider themselves fortunate. Calcagni has been around a lot of the game's most innovative coaches, from Holtz to former Houston Cougar coach John Jenkins and many others.

Calcagni has a son who is playing at Conway High School.