Applewhite, Briles receive coordinator interviews

In this Dec. 17, 2016, file photo, Houston coach Major Applewhite looks on during the second half of the Las Vegas Bowl NCAA college football game against San Diego State in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

FAYETTEVILLE — Major Applewhite and Kendal Briles have emerged as leading contenders for the offensive coordinator job at the University of Arkansas.

Applewhite, an offensive analyst at the University of Alabama, was in town Tuesday and Wednesday interviewing for the position. Briles interviewed Monday.

Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman did not discuss the coordinators at his national signing day news conference Wednesday, nor would he confirm the additions of Rion Rhoades and Sam Carter on the defensive side of the ball.

“Well, I don’t think we’ve talked about a linebacker coach and a corners coach, but we like who we have on our staff,” Pittman said. “I would anticipate that would get completed, I don’t know, some time around Monday or Tuesday of next week.

“However, we may be looking at some guys that are currently in a bowl situation, and so we may have to wait until their games are completed to hire them.”

Applewhite, a native of Baton Rouge, was hired as head coach at the University of Houston by current Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek in December 2016. He compiled a 15-11 record in two years before being fired.

Applewhite, 41, previously has served as offensive coordinator at Rice (2006), Alabama (2007), Texas (2011-13) and Houston (2015-16).

Briles, 37, was offensive coordinator at Florida State last season. Prior to that, he was assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Applewhite at Houston in 2018, and he held the same jobs under Lane Kiffin at Florida Atlantic in 2017. A former safety and wide receiver at Texas and Houston, Briles spent the first nine years of his coaching career at Baylor.

Multiple sources have confirmed Rhoades and Carter will join the staff. Both men have changed their Twitter accounts to show Arkansas logos, with Rhoades describing himself as linebackers coach and Carter as cornerbacks coach.

Rhoades had been head coach at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College the past 13 years. He played at Hutchinson in 1993 when Pittman was the Blue Dragons’ head coach.

Carter, an All-Big 12 safety at TCU in 2014, had been serving as a defensive analyst and defensive backs assistant at Missouri.