FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema added a second former head coach to his staff Wednesday, announcing the hiring of Paul Rhoads as the program's defensive backs coach.
Rhoads, 49, was the seven-year head coach at Iowa State prior to his firing Nov. 23. He compiled a 32-55 record with the Cyclones.
Rhoads replaces Clay Jennings, who departed last week to coach defensive backs at Texas. Rhoads joins another Midwesterner, offensive coordinator Dan Enos, as former college head coaches on Bielema's fourth-year staff. Enos was the head coach for Central Michigan from 2010-2014.
Rhoads signed an offer letter for a one-year deal Wednesday for $350,000. The agreement features a noncompete clause with other SEC institutions, with the exception of a head coaching or defensive coordinator's job, and has a buyout of $100,000 through Feb. 15, 2017, and $50,000 between that date and the end of the term June 30, 2017.
"Paul has had a long standing reputation as a great teacher and recruiter even prior to his years of experience as a coordinator and head coach," Bielema said in an UA news release. "He instantly brings years of experience to our defensive staff room and has coached the secondary and defensive backs to the highest levels of success."
Rhoads is a graduate of Missouri Western and a native of Ankeny, Iowa.
He led Iowa State to a bowl victory in his first season, a 14-13 victory over Minnesota in the Insight Bowl that gave the Cyclones a 7-6 record, which was a five-win improvement over the previous season. That was one of three bowl appearances for Iowa State under Rhoads, who previously served as defensive coordinator at Pittsburgh and Auburn before taking his first head coaching job at age 41.
"I'm thrilled to be joining the Arkansas program and can't wait to help build on the success coach Bielema and the staff have already experienced in three years," Rhoads said in the news release. "Not only does coach Bielema have a track record of building winning programs but also developing young men of great character. Both are things I'm excited to be part of."
Rhoads joins a defensive staff coordinated by Robb Smith that ranked No. 58 nationally in total defense. Arkansas returned three starters in the defensive backfield in 2015 but had its struggles defending the pass. The Razorbacks ranked No. 116 of 127 FBS teams with 275.2 passing yards allowed per game and No. 103 in pass efficiency defense. In 2014, Arkansas was No. 49 in pass efficiency defense and No. 37 with 208.8 passing yards allowed per game.
Rhoads' Cyclones notched four victories, including three on the road, over ranked opponents. The most notable of those upsets was a 37-31 double-overtime victory over No. 2 Oklahoma State on Nov. 18, 2011, which knocked the Cowboys out of contention for the BCS national championship game eventually played between Alabama and LSU. Iowa State was a 27-point underdog in that game.
Rhoads was defensive coordinator at Auburn in 2008 when the Razorbacks scored a 25-22 victory over the Tigers in Auburn, Ala. Arkansas tailback Michael Smith rushed for 176 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown, in that game, and Arkansas outgained Auburn 416-193 in total offense.
Auburn ranked No. 29 in total defense, allowing 317.8 yards per game, and No. 14 in scoring defense (18 points per game allowed) in its only season with Rhoads as coordinator. He took the head coaching job at Iowa State the next season.
Sports on 02/25/2016