Becoming a high school football head coach is Justin Crocker’s ultimate career goal.

For now, the longtime assistant is more than happy to work at River Bluff High.

Nearly a month ago he was introduced as Richland Northeast’s new head football coach. Now, Crocker has decided not to accept the job.

“The pull to stay became bigger than the push to go,” Crocker said in a telephone interview.

He made the decision based on family needs and what he sees as career growth in Lexington District

1. Crocker is assistant athletics director and offensive line coach.

He has an option to work in administration in the future.

“I felt like it was better for us as a family right now that we stay at River Bluff,” Crocker said.

“It wasn’t RNE. It was just having a chance to take on more responsibilities at River Bluff and having a chance to continue to work for (Principal Lucas) Clamp and be there on (head football coach C. Blair Harden’s) staff.

“And then my boys are involved in sports and that would take me 30 minutes on a good day to get over there and back. And so, I would be scrambling trying to help my wife with shuttling my 2 sons around to their games and their practices.”

As offensive line coach, Crocker will oversee the return of all of his position players from last year’s 9-2 squad. This is much like 2015 when his Lexington High players finished Class 4A Division I state runner-up and he sees the potential for a “special season” in The Swamp.

“I bring back my whole offensive line,” he said. “Last year, I started 3 juniors and 2 sophomores. So, I bring all of those guys back and they got better week after week. All 5 of them, plus...really about all 14 of the lineman that are with me are having tremendous off-seasons.

“Excited to have Crock and his family back,” Hardin said. “He’s an integral part of our football program and school. He does a great job building relationships and our kids are excited.”

RNE athletics director Gary Fulmer said the school will resume its coaching search and hopes to have a new one by the end of March.