Coach Lusk: More than a Coach

Bluefield University head football coach Dewey Lusk is not only a longtime coach, but also a great mentor and friend to many. 

Coach Lusk attended Emory and Henry College as an undergraduate and then went on to Gardner-Webb University where he earned a master’s degree in physical education. But it was at Emory where he began his coaching career. While playing for the Wasps as a member of the football team, Emory and Henry was down 14 points, and Coach Lusk suggested to the offensive coordinator to fake a run play and throw the ball deep to a speedy outside receiver.

“You could say that was my first coaching experience,” Coach Lusk said. The play call resulted in a touchdown, and Emory went on to win the game, 21-14.

After that game, the Emory coach wanted Coach Lusk to call more plays, which set Coach Lusk on a coaching career that now spans 32 years, first as a graduate assistant at Gardner-Webb and then later as an assistant at Abingdon (VA) High School.

Coach Lusk would return to Emory and Henry where it all began as the offensive coordinator in 1991. He would spend 15 years at Emory before moving on to the University of Virginia at Wise in 2005 where he served as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator. During his time as the offensive coordinator, Coach Lusk developed the UVA-Wise offense into one of the most prolific offenses in the country. For example, in 2008 the Cavalier offense finished fourth in the NAIA in scoring offense (41.4 points per game) and finished second in the nation in pass efficiency (174.9) and total offense (477.5 yards per game).

Based on that success, Coach Lusk was named head coach of UVA-Wise in 2011 where he helped guide the Cavaliers in the transition from an NAIA program to an NCAA Division II school. He spent a year as an offensive coordinator at Webber International (FL) University before coming to Bluefield in 2017.

Coach Lusk said he loves the people at Bluefield where he has served as head coach for football for the past six years. He enjoys the atmosphere, and he loves the kids he coaches and has a great relationship with everyone. While being the coach at BU, he said he wants to be and set a good example for his players. For Coach Lusk, it’s not only about football; it’s about growing the players to be upstanding men. He puts the players first and encourages the players to finish their degrees. 

“He will give his players the shirt off of his back,” said Rams kicker Joey Dales, who added that Coach Lusk is a person he can go talk to if he is having trouble with anything or just needs someone to talk to.

Coach Lusk also wants to help turn the football program around into to a winning program. When Coach Lusk became the coach, “the team was 5-50 over the last six years.” Since Coach Lusk and his staff took over the program, the team’s record is 27-33.In his first year at BU in 2017, the team went 6-5. The six wins that season was one more win than the team had secured in its previous five seasons combined. In 2018, Coach Lusk coached Bluefield’s first NAIA football All-American in DaMarcus Wimbush.

Coach Lusk is married to the former Mily Dover and is the father of a son, Gil – who is an assistant coach for the Rams – and a daughter, Landi.

Photos by Rampage student photographer Nathan LePere.