As you have probably heard by now, Texas High's Barry Norton has left Tigerland for the world of the Razorbacks.

Norton was officially introduced Wednesday morning as the brand new Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Arkansas High.

Norton says he looks back on 18 years at Texas High as the best part of his professional life to date. He thanked the assistant coaches, superintendent, school board, students and parents for a highly successful time there something he deemed a total team effort.

That team effort is something Coach Norton wants to bring to Arkansas High. He wants to build a culture of success that includes all athletics, and includes academics and into a student's everyday life.

Norton says he was not looking for a job when former Razorback Coach Johnny Toombs approached him with the idea of possible moving across state line. Toombs was informally helping the Superintendent in the process of looking for a replacement for Todd Ledford who resigned following the end of the 2016 football season.

Norton said he and his wife talked, prayed and spent a lot of time thinking about the move before he came forward and let the TASD administration know he would be interested in discussions.

Love the kids, take care of the kids and everything will be alright.

Norton, 52, said he believes he has 10-15 more years left in him as a head coach and he said he looks forward to the excitement of building this program back up. Arkansas High is a school he describes as a special place with lots of great history. Norton said he expects bumps along the way but that they will be evened out early and quickly.

As for assistant coaches already here, or those he might bring from across the state line, Norton says he can work with anyone who loves the kids and works hard.

Barry Norton said he is proud to be a Razorback, proud to hold this new position and will work as hard as anyone to achieve the goal of winning championships.

And he added something a former coach told him as he initially headed for the job at Texas High.

"Love the kids, take care of the kids and everything will be alright."

Norton said that is what he intends to do at Arkansas High.

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