Randy Shannon Named Senior Associate Head Coach

By Chris Breece

February 5, 2014

Linebackers coach Randy Shannon has been named Senior Associate Head Coach at the University of Arkansas, head coach Bret Bielema said Wednesday.

Shannon, who was head coach at the University of Miami from 2007-2010, was a fan favorite to take the defensive coordinator job for the Hogs. However, Bielema’s statement Wednesday dismissed that notion.

According to 5NEWS content partner Bo Mattingly, Bielema will make Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant Robb Smith the new defensive coordinator.

Smith, 38, spent the 2013 season with Tampa Bay as the linebackers coach. Before that he served as the defensive coordinator at Rutgers in 2012. The Scarlet Knights ranked No. 4 nationally in scoring defense, No. 6 against the run and No. 10 overall that season. Smith previously served as Rutgers’ secondary coach in 2010-11 and as the program’s outside linebackers in 2010.

The Arkansas defensive coordinator job was vacated by Chris Ash when he left for the same job at Ohio State last month.