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FAYETTEVILLE — Sam Pittman has completed his first coaching staff at Arkansas by hiring a former coworker at Georgia.
Scott Fountain, who has been with the Bulldogs the last three years and has been in the SEC since 2009, has been tabbed as the Razorbacks’ special teams coordinator, sources confirmed to HawgBeat.
A member of Georgia’s on-field staff the last two seasons and a special teams analyst in 2017, Fountain has been one of the best in his profession.
Just this season, the Bulldogs’ special teams was rated first in the country by Bill Connelly’s SP+ analytics. The star of the unit was kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, who won the Lou Groza Award for a season in which he made 27 of 33 field goals.
Georgia’s punter, Jake Camarda, was also solid, as he averaged 46.8 yards per punt - which ranked sixth nationally - and pinned 25 of his 61 punts inside the 20-yard line. That came after a freshman campaign in which he averaged 42.6 yards per punt.
In 2018, Mecole Hardman led the SEC with a 20.1-yard average as a punt returner, including a 70-yard return for a touchdown. The Razorbacks haven’t had a punt return touchdown since Joe Adams graduated in 2011.
During Fountain’s season as a special teams analyst for the Bulldogs, punter Cameron Nizialek averaged 45.0 yards per punt and was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award.
Prior to going to Athens, Fountain was at Auburn for eight years - the first four as director of player personnel and the last four as an on-field assistant, serving as a special teams coordinator and tight ends coach.
With the Tigers, he coached three-time Lou Groza Award finalist Daniel Carlson and Chris Davis, who was an All-American as a return specialist and is most known for the “Kick Six” return that beat Alabama. In 2014, Auburn punt returner Quan Bray led the SEC with an 18.1-yard average that included a pair of touchdowns.
Other stops during Fountain’s career include Iowa State (2007-08), Georgia Southern (2006), Middle Tennessee State (2004-05), Central Florida (1997-2003) and Florida State (1994-96). Before that, he was a head coach at two high schools in Alabama.
It is unknown what his salary will be at Arkansas, but Fountain made $325,000 with the Bulldogs this season, according to USA Today’s database.
This addition fills out Pittman’s first staff with the Razorbacks. Here is the complete list…
~Defensive coordinator Barry Odom
~Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles
~Special teams coordinator Scott Fountain
~Offensive line coach Brad Davis
~Running backs coach Jimmy Smith
~Tight ends coach Jon Cooper
~Wide receivers coach Justin Stepp
~Defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc
~Linebackers coach Rion Rhoades
~Cornerbacks coach Sam Carter