Carter leaving for same position at SEC West foe
Cornerbacks coach Sam Carter is leaving Arkansas to take the same position at Ole Miss.
The move was first reported as a possibility by FootballScoop on Monday and then confirmed within hours as happening by multiple outlets, including RebelGrove.com, the Ole Miss site in the Rivals network.
It is the second staff departure in as many days for the Razorbacks, as news broke Sunday afternoon that head coach Sam Pittman had fired defensive line coach Jermial Ashley. Prior to that, Arkansas had been one of only seven Power Five schools - out of 65 - not to have a staff change this offseason.
Pittman previously told reporters that he had hoped to retain all 10 on-field assistants and believed he would.
"I think we’re in great shape," Pittman said on Dec. 15. "I have no indication whatsoever that we might lose anyone on our staff, and to put it out there, I don’t want to lose anybody on the staff."
Unlike the Ashley firing, this move is likely one the Razorbacks did not want happening. Carter was widely viewed as one of the top recruiters on the staff and had gotten good results from his position group on the field.
In his two seasons on staff, the Razorbacks had 26 total interceptions, after making only 19 the previous three seasons combined. That includes five by All-SEC cornerback Montaric Brown this season, vaulting him into the NFL Draft conversation.
On the recruiting trail, Carter was critical in signing the likes of Myles Slusher, Jayden Johnson and others, securing a commitment from Myles Rowser and landing portal targets Dwight McGlothern and Latavious Brini.
However, the Razorbacks did have a mass exodus from the defensive backs room this offseason, highlighted by starters Joe Foucha and Greg Brooks Jr. transferring to LSU. Rumors circulated about Carter being a reason and the parent of a current defensive back indicated that several others also considered transferring in a Twitter Spaces attended by HawgBeat’s Jackson Collier.
Carter was under contract through the 2022 season and was the highest-paid non-coordinator on staff, with his $350,000 salary trailing only defensive coordinator Barry Odom, offensive coordinator Kendal Briles and special teams coordinator Scott Fountain.
He was part of Pittman’s first staff, following Odom to Arkansas from Missouri, where he was a defensive quality control coach. He made $225,000 in his first season before getting a pay raise before the 2021 season.