Head coach Sam Pittman and the Arkansas Razorbacks officially filled their defensive backs coach opening with Seattle Seahawks assistant Nick Perry, the program announced Thursday.
Perry spent the 2024 season in the "Defensive Quality Control" role with the Seahawks, who ranked 11th in opponent passing yards per game (211.9).
Prior to Perry's time with the Seahawks, he spent the 2023 season as the assistant wide receivers coach for the Atlanta Falcons and was the Falcons defensive backs coach from 2021-22.
Before Atlanta, Perry served as a graduate assistant and analyst for Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide from 2017-20, during which time the Crimson Tide made three College Football Playoff National Championship Appearances, winning two.
Perry, a native of Alabama, played defensive back for the Crimson Tide from 2010-14. He played 44 games and totaled 121 tackles, seven tackles for loss, one sack, 10 defended passes and two interceptions in his time. Perry went unselected in the 2015 NFL Draft and signed with the Baltimore Ravens shortly after. Aften a short stint with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016, Perry returned to his alma mater to begin his coaching career.
Arkansas' hiring of Perry fills the hole left behind by former Arkansas secondary coach Deron Wilson, who was reportedly hired to become the defensive coordinator at Georgia State this offseason.
Nick Perry Official Bio:
Nick Perry joined the Seahawks coaching staff on February 22, 2024 in a defensive quality control role after spending the prior season as the Atlanta Falcons assistant wide receivers coach and serving as Atlanta's defensive backs coach from 2021-22.
Perry contributed to the continued production of second-year wideout Drake London in 2023, who led all position groups with 905 receiving yards. The USC product improved markers from his rookie season in yards and yards per game (56.6) on seven fewer targets and three less receptions. London finished the 2023 season with 69 receptions, for 905 yards.
In 2022, Atlanta's defense led the league in fewest penalties per game (1.06) and limited opponents to the second-fewest second half points per game allowing only 7.9 points per game after halftime. Under Perry's tutelage, safeties Richie Grant (122) and Jaylinn Hawkins (82) both set single-season career highs for total tackles. Grant added seven passes defensed, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one blocked punt, while Hawkins finished with six passes defensed, two interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one touchdown. Additionally, rookie cornerback Dee Alford finished with 25 total tackles, 0.5 sack, one interception and seven passes defensed in 2022.
In 2021, Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell limited opponents to 29 receptions for 200 yards on 66 targets and tallied a career-high three touchdowns. Terrell held opposing passers to a 47.5 passer rating when targeted, according to Pro Football Focus, marking the lowest passer rating by a cornerback that played at least 50 percent of coverage snaps last season. Terrell, in his second season, was named second-team AP All-Pro in 2021.
Prior to joining the Falcons staff, Perry spent the previous four seasons (2017-20) as a graduate assistant and analyst at the University of Alabama during which time the Crimson Tide made three College Football Playoff National Championship appearances, winning two.
Perry signed with the Baltimore Ravens following the 2015 NFL Draft and spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016 before returning to Alabama to begin his coaching career.
