coaching staff

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Kolby Smith | Running Backs

Former NFL running back and NFL assistant coach Kolby Smith has been named Arkansas’ new running backs coach by Head Coach Sam Pittman.

Following a four-year career in the NFL as a running back, Smith began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Razorbacks in 2012 before joining Bobby Petrino’s staff at Western Kentucky as the Hilltoppers’ running backs coach in 2013. He followed Petrino to Louisville the following year, where he coached the Cardinals’ running backs for five seasons. Smith’s relationship with Petrino dates back to Smith’s college days as a running back at Louisville for Petrino (2003-06) during Petrino’s first stint leading the Cardinals.

Smith served the last four seasons on the staff of the Miami Dolphins working with team’s running backs, first as a quality control coach (2020-21) before being promoted to an offensive assistant role prior to the 2022 season. This past season, Smith helped the Dolphins’ offense to record heights setting a franchise record with 6,899 total yards while ranking second in the league in both points per game (29.2) and passing yards per game (276.4) and sixth in rushing yards per game (135.8). Running back Raheem Mostert topped 1,000 yards for the first time in his career and led all NFL running backs with 18 rushing touchdowns. In 2022, Smith worked with an offense that finished in the top 10 (sixth, 364.5 yards per game) for the first time since 1995. Miami averaged 6.1 yards per play, which ranked second in the NFL.

Before his jump to the professional ranks, Smith spent seven seasons as a college assistant at Rutgers (2019), Louisville (2014-18) and Western Kentucky.

In one season at Rutgers, Smith helped sophomore running back Isiah Pacheco improve in nearly every category. Pacheco set career-highs in carries (169), rushing yards (729) and rushing touchdowns (7), which led the Knights.

At Louisville, he helped the Cardinals to four bowls, while setting school records in rushing yards in back-to-back years in 2017 (3,186) and 2016 (3,148). In 2017, the Cardinals ranked 15th nationally in rushing (245.1 ypg) and totaled over 250 rushing yards in seven games. Smith’s three running backs combined to rush for 1,225 yards and 14 touchdowns. The 2016 campaign saw the Cardinals total 37 scores on the ground, highlighted by the 903 yards and six touchdowns by Brandon Radcliff, who was second on the team with four 100-yard games.

During the 2015 campaign, Smith helped the Cardinals post their best rushing games in the second part of the season, running for over 200 yards in four of the final five games. That included a season-best 314 yards in a 38-24 victory over Kentucky. For the year, the Cardinals averaged 171.0 yards on the ground and totaled 23 touchdowns.

With a stable of running backs in 2014, Smith’s unit ran for 28 touchdowns and averaged 142.7 yards per game in leading the Cardinals to a 9-4 record and a berth in the Belk Bowl. The team’s backs recorded six 100-yard rushing games, including Brandon Radcliff, who tallied a team-best three 100-yard rushing games.

In his lone season with the Hilltoppers, Smith tutored Antonio Andrews, the nation’s top all-purpose player, to a career season on the ground. Andrews reset the school rushing mark with 1,730 yards in 2013. WKU running backs combined for 30 of the team’s 31 rushing touchdowns, led by Andrews’ career-best 16. He also set a school record for the most 100-yard rushing games in a career (21), in a season (11) and consecutively (11). He generated 125 all-purpose yards in 25 consecutive games, a streak unmatched to within 10 games by any other player in the country. Smith’s running backs also accounted for 724 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns through the air.

As a player at Louisville, Smith helped the Cardinals to a 12-1 record as the primary back in 2006. Sharing the backfield that year with Michael Bush, Smith stepped in after an injury to Bush to average more than five yards per carry, scoring seven touchdowns on a team that defeated Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl, the program’s first BCS victory.

For his career, Smith rushed for over 1,800 yards and scoring 18 rushing TDs while averaging nearly 6.0 yards per carry. He also caught 56 passes for over 500 yards and two touchdowns.

Smith was selected in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He immediately made an impact in his rookie season, rushing for over 400 yards on 112 carries. Smith played in all 16 games in 2007, scoring a pair of touchdowns and earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after rushing for 150 yards on 31 carries against the Raiders. He finished his NFL career in 2010, spending brief periods with the Denver Broncos and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Smith and his wife, Ashley, have three sons, Kolby Jr., Karter and Klay.

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Scott Fountain | Assistant Head Coach / Special Teams Coordinator

Scott Fountain serves as Head Coach Sam Pittman’s assistant head coach and special teams coordinator.

Fountain’s work on Arkansas’ special teams started to take shape during the 2021 season. Freshman kicker Cam Little was an immediate difference maker for the Razorbacks, earning Freshman All-America and SEC All-Freshman honors. Little made 20 of his 24 field goals (.833) and all 46 of his PATs to lead Arkansas in scoring with 106 points. His 20 made field goals matched Todd Wright’s total from 1989 for the third-most in a single season by a Razorback. Little also matched the third-most field goals in a game by a Razorback with four in a win over Texas and booted a walk-off winner at LSU in overtime.

Long snapper Jordan Silver was an unsung hero for the Hogs, earning Third-Team All-SEC honors from Phil Steele and being invited to the Reese’s Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine Bowl and NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Punter Reid Bauer saw improvement from 2020, averaging 43.3 yards per punt, including 23 fair catches and 14 punts of 50+ yards. Bauer made a name for himself on the national level as the team’s holder, winning the Peter Mortell Holder of the Year Award. He twice pulled off fake field goals, hitting Blake Kern for a touchdown at Alabama and running 23 yards for a first down in the win at LSU. Punt returner Nathan Parodi became the first Razorback to return a punt for a touchdown since 2011 when he took a punt back for a score against UAPB at War Memorial Stadium. Parodi’s 114 punt return yards in the win are the seventh-most in program history.

In his first year in Fayetteville, the Razorbacks received steady play from long snapper Jordan Silver, who graded out as one of the top long snappers in the SEC. Arkansas’ kickers combined to go 8-for-12 on field goals while the team’s punters averaged 42.1 yards per punt. De’Vion Warren averaged 20 yards per kickoff return before suffering a season-ending injury at Florida.

Fountain came to Arkansas after spending 2019 at Georgia in the same role. The Bulldogs saw immediate success with Fountain at the controls, led by kicker and Lou Groza Award winner Rodrigo Blankenship. The first-team All-SEC kicker capped an impressive career at UGA going 27-for-33 (81.8%) on field goals and making all 46 extra points as the Bulldogs won the 2020 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Blankenship was also a weapon on kickoffs allowing just 14 returns all season. Punter Jake Camarda improved in 2019 as well, upping his average to 46.8 yards per punt to rank sixth nationally.

In 2018, Georgia had two of the SEC’s top special teams players in return man Mecole Hardman and Blankenship. Hardman led the SEC in punt return average (20.1), was fifth in kick return average (25.2) and was named to the ESPN.com All-America first team.

A Lou Groza semifinalist, Blankenship earned second team All-SEC honors after finishing fifth in the SEC in scoring by kickers (8.7 points per game) and booted his school record 154th consecutive PAT. He also posted 82 kickoff touchbacks (season record) extending his school career record to 170.

As a team, the Bulldogs were first in the SEC in punt return yards (366) and punt return average (16.6; seventh nationally) and tied for first in punt return touchdowns (2).

Fountain also contributed to the Bulldogs’ emergence on special teams in 2017. Hardman averaged 25.3 yards per kick return, ranking second in the SEC and 21st nationally. Georgia’s special teams unit also held opponents to 5.9 yards per punt return and 19.5 yards per kick return. Those numbers were all reduced from a year prior, as opponents averaged 6.1 yards per punt return, 23.8 yards per kick return and notched two 95-yard kickoff returns versus the Bulldogs in 2016.

Additionally, Blankenship hit on 20 of his 23 field goal attempts, including a 55-yarder in the 2018 Rose Bowl vs. Oklahoma and a 51-yarder in overtime of the national championship game. He made all 63 of his PAT attempts, kicked 67 touchbacks (a Georgia season record at the time and third nationally) and was named a semifinalist for the 2017 Lou Groza Award. Punter Cameron Nizialek averaged 45.0 yards per punt to rank ninth nationally and was named a semi-finalist for the 2017 Ray Guy Award.

Fountain joined Georgia’s full time, on-field staff, in 2018, after filling the same position at Mississippi State during the offseason. Fountain was the special teams analyst at Georgia during the 2017 season.

Before joining Georgia’s staff, Fountain had spent the previous eight years as a member of the football program at Auburn, the first four as the Tigers’ player personnel director and the latter four coaching tight ends and special teams. From 2014-16, Fountain coached kicker Daniel Carlson, a three-time Lou Groza Award finalist.

Fountain, a part of three SEC championship teams, led Auburn’s administrative and recruiting efforts from 2009-12. He followed Gene Chizik to Auburn after spending two seasons (2007-08) on Chizik’s staff at Iowa State as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator.

Fountain has coached in four national championship games (1997, 2010, 2013, 2017) since beginning his collegiate coaching career at Florida State (1994-96) as an offensive graduate assistant. He then spent seven seasons as an offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Central Florida. Before his eight-year stint at Auburn, Fountain also included coaching stops at Middle Tennessee (2004-05), Georgia Southern (2006) and Iowa State (2007-08).

He began his coaching career in high school, making four stops in Alabama, including Flomaton HS (1988) and W.S. Neal HS (1989), his alma mater. He became a head coach for the first time at Frisco City HS (1990-92) and made his final high school stop at Monroe County (1993).

Fountain earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Samford in 1988 and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Florida State in 1998.

He is married to the former Rosie Hidalgo, and the couple has four sons: Brookes, Hunter, Tanner and Skyler.

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Bobby Petrino | Offensive Coordinator

Arkansas Head Coach Sam Pittman has hired Bobby Petrino to be the Razorbacks’ next offensive coordinator.

Petrino, Arkansas’ head coach from 2008-11, is widely regarded as one of the nation’s elite offensive minds over the last 40 years of his coaching career. He has served as offensive coordinator for seven different collegiate programs, including last season at Texas A&M. With the Aggies, Petrino’s offense averaged 34.2 points per game (25th in FBS, 5th in SEC) while averaging 403.8 yards per game despite losing starting quarterbacks Conner Weigman and Max Johnson to injury during the season. In his lone season with the Aggies, Petrino’s offense helped lead the program back to bowl eligibility marking the 18th time in his career to help a team to the postseason.

In his 14 seasons as a head coach at five different stops, including Louisville (2003-06, 2014-18), the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons (2007), Arkansas (2008-11), Western Kentucky (2013) and most recently at FCS level Missouri State (2020-22), Petrino has compiled a record of 119-56.

As the head coach of the Razorbacks, he led the program to a 34-17 mark in four seasons with bowl berths in the 2010 Liberty Bowl, 2011 Sugar Bowl and 2012 Cotton Bowl. The Hogs went 10-3 in 2010 with the program’s only BCS Bowl appearance at the Sugar Bowl before finishing ranked 12th in the AP Poll. Arkansas’ 2011 team was even better, finishing 11-2 with a Cotton Bowl victory over Kansas State to end the year ranked 5th in the AP poll. The team’s 11 victories are the most by an Arkansas team and the team’s final ranking in the Top 5 are the best since Lou Holtz’s 1977 squad finished 11-1 and ranked 3rd in the final AP Poll.

In his first stint at Louisville, Petrino was 41-9 during those four seasons. His 2004 team led the nation in total offense (539.0 ypg) and scoring offense (49.8 ppg) while posting 50+ points in seven games and setting a NCAA record by scoring 55+ points in five straight games en route to an 11-1 record and an appearance in the Gator bowl.

Petrino’s resume also has NFL coaching experience, having served as the Falcons head coach in 2007 and as an offensive coordinator with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2001), while also working with the Jaguars’ quarterbacks (1999-2001).

At the collegiate level, Petrino has worked with quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends, while also coordinating offenses for Idaho (1990-91), Arizona State (1992-93), Nevada (1994), Utah State (1995-97), Louisville (1998) and Auburn (2002). He helped the Auburn Tigers to a 9-4 record and a 5-3 mark in the SEC, finishing No. 14 in the Associated Press Poll in 2002. Petrino worked with quarterback Jake Plummer at ASU before Plummer went on to a successful NFL career. At Nevada, Petrino had the nation’s No. 2 passing and total offensive unit. As the offensive coordinator with the Utah State Aggies in 1996, Petrino set school records for total offense (468.5) and passing yards (317.5). His 1998 Louisville offense led the FBS in scoring and total offense.

The longtime coach has also produced elite, next level talent during his career, coaching 2016 Heisman Trophy winner and current Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson while at Louisville. With the Hogs, he tutored two of the best quarterbacks in school history in the late Ryan Mallett and Tyler Wilson. He also coached a trio of national award winners in Joe Adams (2011 Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers Award), DJ Williams (2010 Mackey Award and Disney Spirit Award) and Jonathan Luigs (2007 Rimington Trophy). Arkansas’ top three wide receivers – Cobi Hamilton, Jarius Wright and Joe Adams – on the all-time receptions list all played under Petrino with Wright still holding the receiving yards school record with 2,934 yards.

Petrino is the son of legendary Carroll College coach Bob Petrino Sr. The younger Petrino began his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 1983 for his father in Helena, Montana. After one season with Weber State as a graduate assistant, Petrino returned to coordinate the offense for Carroll College from 1985-86 – his first offensive coordinator job.

The younger Petrino played for his father at Carroll, twice earning NAIA All-America honors and helping lead the squad to three straight conference championships. He was named the league’s MVP in 1981 and 1982. He also played four years of basketball at Carroll while earning his degree in physical education with a minor in mathematics in 1983.

Petrino and his wife, Becky, have four children: Kelsey, Nick, Bobby and Katie, along with eight grandchildren.

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Travis Williams | Defensive Coordinator

Travis Williams was named the Razorbacks’ new defensive coordinator in December 2022.

Williams brings defensive coordinator experience and a wealth of Southeastern Conference knowledge to The Hill, having played at Auburn and later as the Tigers’ co-defensive coordinator. On the field, he starred as a two-time All-SEC linebacker – including first-team honors in 2004 – leading the Tigers in tackles during their undefeated season in 2004.

He heads to Fayetteville after spending the last two seasons calling the defense for UCF as the Knights’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. The Knights showed progress in each of his two seasons, improving this season to a Top 40 scoring defense in the FBS by allowing 23.2 points per game. The defense helped UCF reach the American Athletic Conference championship game, a 9-4 record and a berth in the Military Bowl by allowing 382.6 yards per game and producing the fifth-best red zone defense in the country.

Senior linebacker Jason Johnson led the way with 119 tackles – second-most in the league and 19th nationally – to earn first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors. Williams molded Johnson in his lone season in Orlando from an FCS All-American at Eastern Illinois to one of the nation’s leading tacklers at the FBS level. The Knights’ defense featured three All-AAC first teamers with Johnson joined by defensive linemen Ricky Barber and Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, who ranked fourth in the league with 13.0 tackles for loss.

Williams’ first defense in Orlando finished the season strong in 2021, helping the Knights win six of their final seven games with defense giving up just 11.8 points per game in the six victories. The defense ended the season ranked seventh nationally in pass efficiency defense (110.7) and 26th in tackles for loss (6.8/game).

Linebacker Tatum Bethune averaged 9.0 tackles per game to rank second in the conference and 24th in the FBS. His work on the field made him a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection by Pro Football Network, second team by Pro Football Focus and honorable mention by the league’s coaches. Williams’ defense also featured All-AAC performers defensive lineman Big Kat Bryant (first team) and safety Divaad Wilson (second team). PFF also tabbed safety Quadric Bullard (second team), cornerbacks Davonte Brown and Corey Thornton and Wilson (all third team).

Williams’ initial UCF defense moved up 97 spots in the NCAA team pass efficiency defense rankings compared to 2020, 86 spots in passing yards allowed (89.1 fewer per game in 2021) and 70 in total defense (122.5 fewer yards allowed per game in 2021).

At Auburn, Williams served as co-defensive coordinator alongside Kevin Steele while also working as the Tigers’ linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. He helped his alma mater finish in the Top 20 in the nation in scoring defense in four of his last five seasons (2016-20) on The Plains. As the linebackers coach, Auburn allowed just 54 rushing touchdowns combined to rank fifth nationally during those five seasons – including just eight in 2016 and nine in 2018.

Williams also mentored All-Southeastern Conference linebackers in three consecutive seasons – K.J. Britt in 2019, Deshaun Davis in 2018 and Tre Williams in 2017. Linebacker Zakoby McClain led the SEC in tackles with 113 during the pandemic-shortened season of 2020.

Auburn’s 2019 defense ranked eighth nationally in both red zone and third down defense, allowing just 19.5 points per game against a schedule that featured six opponents that went on to win 11 games that season.

The Tigers ranked 14th nationally in scoring defense (19.2/game) in 2018 allowing only nine rushing touchdowns while returning three interceptions for scores. The squad’s 38 sacks ranked 16th nationally and the 96 tackles for loss were the ninth-most in the nation.

Auburn won the SEC West in 2017 led by a defense that ranked 14th nationally in total defense (319.4/game) and 11th in scoring defense (18.5/game). The Tigers yielded just 4.67 yards per play, eighth-best nationally.

In 2016 the Tigers’ red zone defense ranked 11th in the FBS and the team’s total defense (361.9/game) ranking 28th to move up 43 spots over the previous season. The defense held eight consecutive opponents without a rushing TD, the longest season streak at Auburn since 1957.

On the field at Auburn, he led the Tigers in tackles (80) as a junior during the team’s 2004 undefeated season. As a senior, his 68 tackles were second on the team. He won the Pat Dye Leadership Award on defense in each of his last two seasons (2004, 2005). He played two seasons in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons (2006-07) before beginning his coaching career.

Williams began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Auburn before landing his first full-time coaching job as the linebackers coach at Northern Iowa in 2012. He spent one year as the defensive coordinator at Creekside (Ga.) High School before returning to Auburn in 2014 as a defensive analyst.

He was promoted to an on-field role for the Tigers prior to the 2016 season as the team’s linebackers coach. He earned the co-defensive coordinator title in 2019 and then added recruiting coordinator duties in 2020.

Williams earned his bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice from Auburn in 2005 and later received a master’s degree in adult education from Auburn in 2011.

A native of Columbia, S.C., Williams and his wife Jeanine, also an Auburn graduate, have three daughters: Tru, Reign and Brave.

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Marcus Woodson | Co-Defensive Coordinator

Marcus Woodson is in his first year as the Razorbacks’ co-Defensive Coordinator.

Woodson heads to Arkansas after spending the last three seasons at Florida State as the Seminoles’ defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator. This past season, Woodson’s secondary helped lead the Noles to a 10-win campaign capped by a Cheez-It Bowl victory. Florida State’s secondary was one of the nation’s best in 2022 leading the way to help FSU rank fourth in the FBS allowing 165.4 yards per game to lead the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Woodson helped mold safety Jammie Robinson into a two-time, first-team All-ACC performer. In 2022, Robinson led Florida State in tackles with 99, including five tackles for loss. He led the Noles in tackles in 2021 with 84 to go along with an ACC-best four interceptions.

Robinson is set to join Woodson’s group of defensive backs to be selected in the NFL Draft. Woodson has had six DBs picked over the last three NFL Drafts, including 2020 first-round selection Noah Igbinoghene. Igbinoghene was the 30th overall pick by the Miami Dolphins after Woodson coached him through a transition from wide receiver to defensive back upon his arrival at Auburn in 2018.

Florida State had eight different defenders grab at least one interception and forced 20 total takeaways in 2021. FSU picked off at least one pass in eight straight games to end the season, the longest active streak in America entering the 2022 season and tied for the longest streak in the country at any point during the 2021 season.

During the 2020 season, Florida State’s defensive backfield was responsible for 10 takeaways and added four forced fumbles. Woodson helped continue the development of first-team All-ACC selection Asante Samuel Jr. into one of the nation’s premiere defensive backs. Samuel finished the season leading all active ACC defenders with 29 career pass breakups before being selected in the second-round of the NFL Draft pick by the Los Angeles Chargers. In records dating back to 2000, he was only the second FBS defender to grab three interceptions and have two fumble recoveries in his team’s first four games of a season. Samuel also became the first FSU defender since 2016 with at least one takeaway in four straight games and only the third Seminole since 2000 with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries in a season.

Prior to Florida State, Woodson helped Auburn win 17 games in two seasons (2018-19) while working alongside Arkansas’ new defensive coordinator Travis Williams. In 2019 with Woods as the defensive backs coach and Williams serving as co-defensive coordinator, the Tigers won nine games and advanced to the Outback Bowl behind a defense that ranked eighth nationally in third-down defense and red zone defense, allowing conversions on just 29.9% of third-down attempts and 71.8% of red zone trips. Safety Jeremiah Dinson earned second-team All-SEC honors after posting averaging 7.3 tackles per game to go along with a pair of interceptions

The Tigers returned three interceptions for touchdowns in 2018, the ninth-highest total in the nation, and ranked 14th in the country in scoring defense by allowing 19.2 points per game. Auburn’s nine rushing touchdowns allowed were the second-lowest total in the SEC and tied for the fifth-lowest total in the FBS. The defense’s 38 sacks were good for 16th nationally with the team’s 96 tackles for loss coming in at No. 20. The Tigers’ defense capped the season with a 63-14 victory over Purdue, the fewest points allowed in a Music City Bowl since 2009.

Woodson headed to The Plains after two seasons at Memphis coaching the Tigers’ defensive backs. Memphis won 18 games over the two seasons, forcing a combined 60 takeaways, the second-highest total in the nation during that span. The Tigers picked off 32 passes in Woodson’s two seasons and were one of only six teams in the country to record at least 16 interceptions in both 2016 and 2017.

In 2017, Woodson coached T.J. Carter to Freshman All-America honors from ESPN and USA Today. Carter also was the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year after breaking Memphis’ freshman record with five interceptions. In only his second collegiate game, Carter ended a fourth-quarter UCLA drive in the red zone with an interception of Josh Rosen to help secure Memphis’ 48-45 victory.

Prior to joining the Memphis staff, Woodson coached defensive backs at Fresno State for two seasons (2014-15). He helped lead the Bulldogs to the 2014 Mountain West Conference Championship Game and a berth in the Hawai’i Bowl. Safety Derron Smith earned first-team All-Mountain West Conference accolades before being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. The 2015 Bulldogs’ 11 fumble recoveries to rank second in the conference and 20th nationally.

From 2009-13, Woodson coached defensive backs and was the recruiting coordinator at Charleston Southern, tutoring five all-conference defensive backs. He also added defensive passing game coordinator duties for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Charleston Southern finished the 2013 season with a school-record 10 wins and were ranked No. 22 in the final FCS poll.

Woodson began his coaching career at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., where he was the defensive backs coach (2005-08). The Majors won three consecutive SCAC championships, including an 11-1 record and No. 12 final ranking in 2008. Woodson coached four all-conference defensive backs while at Millsaps.

Woodson played safety at Ole Miss, starting for two seasons before his playing career was cut short by an injury prior to his senior season. The Rebels advanced to four bowl games, including the Cotton Bowl, the Music City Bowl and two trips to the Independence Bowl during his career. He went to Ole Miss after helping lead Moss Point High School to two Mississippi state titles.

A native of Moss Point, Miss., Woodson earned his bachelor’s degree in political science with an emphasis in criminal justice from Ole Miss in 2003 and was selected for the Senior Leadership Unity Council.

Woodson and his wife, Chastity, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University New Orleans and a master’s degree from Howard University, have two sons, Carter and Bryce.

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Eric Mateos | Offensive Line