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Pittman hires RB coach with Georgia prep ties

Jimmy Smith has been hired as Arkansas' next running backs coach.
Jimmy Smith has been hired as Arkansas' next running backs coach. (Georgia State Athletics)

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FAYETTEVILLE — Sam Pittman has nearly completed his entire first staff at Arkansas.

The ninth assistant to join the Razorbacks is Jimmy Smith, who was the running backs coach at Georgia State this season. He’ll have the same role in Fayetteville, according to his Twitter bio.

Smith has been a coach in the college ranks for less than a year, joining the Panthers after 12 years at the prep level. In his lone season, Georgia State ranked 13th nationally in rushing, averaging 241.6 yards on the ground.

The Panthers also averaged 5.27 yards per carry, which ranked 16th in the FBS, and scored 30 rushing touchdown, which tied for 25th. Their leading rusher, Tra Barnett, averaged a Sun Belt-leading 111.8 yards per game.

Georgia State’s 7-6 season was highlighted by a stunning 38-30 win at Tennessee in which it ran for 213 yards.

More importantly, though, Smith brings significant ties to the Georgia prep ranks to Fayetteville. In his last four seasons at Cedar Grove, he reached the Georgia Class AAA semifinals each year and won the championship twice - in 2016 and 2018. He also captured four straight track and field state titles.

In six seasons as head coach at Cedar Grove, Smith compiled a 67-14-1 record. The Metro Atlanta school also produced 13 three-star or better players who signed with Power Five programs, including 2017 Arkansas signee Korey Hernandez and 2019 five-star Oklahoma signee Jadon Haselwood.

It is unknown what his salary will be at Arkansas, but he made $95,000 at Georgia State this season, according to USA Today’s database.

The eight previous hires to Pittman’s staff are defensive coordinator Barry Odom, offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, wide receivers coach Justin Stepp, offensive line coach Brad Davis, linebackers coach Rion Rhoads, cornerbacks coach Sam Carter, tight ends coach Jon Cooper and defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc.

That leaves one position left to fill.

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