Pittman officially adds two to staff

Hutchinson Community College’s head football coach Rion Rhoades calls out to his players during their game against Independence Community College at Gowans Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019. HCC defeated Independence 31-21. [Sandra J. Milburn/HutchNews]

FAYETTEVILLE -- New University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman took a significant step toward filling out his first coaching staff on Thursday.

The Razorbacks made official the hirings of two defensive assistant coaches, linebackers coach Rion Rhoades and cornerbacks coach Sam Carter, which had been evident in media reports and through social media imprints for the last two days.

A UA official said the delay in announcing the two assistants had to do with paperwork needed to be completed by the coaches and university officials.

Carter and Rhoades give Pittman half of the 10 on-field coaches allowed by the NCAA, joining defensive coordinator Barry Odom, offensive line coach Brad Davis and wide receivers coach Justin Stepp, the only known holdover from the previous Chad Morris staff.

The remaining potential positions yet to be filled are offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, running backs coach, tight ends coach, defensive line coach, safeties coach and special teams coordinator. Those seven spots will have to be fused into five positions, and Pittman has not stated if he'll name a distinct special teams coordinator.

Pittman said on national signing day Wednesday that he anticipated having an offensive coordinator in place by early next week and that completely filling his staff might take until after bowl season.

Both Carter and Rhoades are rejoining previous coaches they had worked or played under.

Carter, a native of New Orleans, was an All-Big 12 safety at TCU in 2014 who racked up 175 tackles and 13 interceptions during his career as a three-year starter. He was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, a Senior CLASS Award finalist and second-team Senior CLASS All-American.

He had been on Odom's staff at Missouri as a defensive analyst and defensive backs assistant.

The Tigers had one of the nation's best defensive backfields in 2019, leading the nation with 50.3% completions allowed and ranking eighth in the country with 179.3 passing yards allowed per game.

Four Missouri players ranked in the top 25 in the SEC in passes defended.

Rhoades, a 13-year head coach at Hutchinson (Kan.) College, will rejoin Pittman, his former head coach at Hutchinson. Rhoades' connection with the Razorbacks has been ongoing, as just in recent years he hired former Arkansas defensive tackle Alfred Davis and had defensive end Jeremiah Ledbetter, a Blue Dragon player, sign with Arkansas in 2015.

Rhoades had a 99-50 record at Hutchinson and a 106-55 mark in 14 seasons as a junior college head coach. He racked up 268 tackles in two seasons with the Blue Dragons (1993-94) and was a team captain his sophomore year before going on to play at Western Illinois and Northwestern Oklahoma State, where he earned NAIA All-America honors.

Sports on 12/20/2019