Arkansas Razorbacks Hire Former Iowa State Head Coach Paul Rhoads as DB Coach

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Bret Bielema moved quickly finding a new defensive backs coach announcing the hiring for Paul Rhodes on Wednesday.

Rhoads was dismissed as the Cyclones head coach in November after a 3-9 campaign in 2015 and an overall record of 32-55 at Iowa State (2009-15). Rhoads built his collegiate resume as a defensive coordinator at Pittsburgh (2000-07) and Auburn (2008). Rhoads played defensive back at Missouri Western (1985-88) before starting out as a graduate assistant at Utah State (1989-90) and Ohio State (1991). He got his first big coaching position working with Pacific (1992-94) as the team’s defensive backs coach.

The Cyclones had previous ties with Rhoads seeing the Iowa native (Nevada) on the ISU staff under Dan McCarney in 1995 first as the team’s inside linebackers coach and then as the team’s defensive backs coach from 1996-1999. The Iowa State – Auburn swapping of coaches with Gene Chizik and Rhoads helped shape the coaching careers of both men and both programs.

Arkansas was in need of a new defensive backs coach after Clay Jennings was hired at the same position by the Texas Longhorns. Jennings had ties to the Lone Star State after spending six years with TCU as the Horned Frogs defensive backs coach.

On paper, Jennings leaving for Texas and Arkansas hiring Rhoads was a win-win. The Achilles heel for the Razorbacks football team in 2015 was their pass defense finishing ranked No. 116 out of 127 Division-I teams. The Razorbacks allowed 275 yards per contest having the worst ranked pass defense in the SEC.

Photo credit:  usatoday.com; Paul Rhodes on the ISU sidelines.