Ole Miss Football Hires Sam Carter as Cornerbacks Coach

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin hired former Arkansas cornerbacks coach Sam Carter to the staff. 

Carter spent two seasons mentoring Razorback cornerbacks, helping lead Arkansas to a record of 9-4 in 2021, the program’s best mark since 2011.
 
In his two years in Fayetteville, Arkansas’ secondary quickly displayed its prowess as a talented ball-hawking group. The Razorbacks tallied 26 total interceptions since 2020, the second-most in the SEC behind only Alabama.

Cornerback Montaric Brown led the SEC and ranked fourth in FBS last season with five interceptions. Under Carter’s guidance, Brown became the first Razorback defender with five interceptions in a year since 2011 (Tramain Thomas).

In 2020, Arkansas’ 13 interceptions during the season were second-most in the SEC and 13th most in FBS. The Razorback defensive backfield featured the nation’s only freshman duo to record multiple interceptions in Hudson Clark (3) and Jalen Catalon (3).
 
Carter joined the Razorbacks from Missouri, where he served as defensive quality control and analyst for Barry Odom. Carter helped the Tigers’ defense rank as one of the best in the nation, particularly in the secondary, in 2019. Missouri’s pass defense ranked sixth in the FBS and second in the Southeastern Conference allowing only 179.3 yards per game.
 
The Tigers were even tougher with the ball in the air, leading the nation by allowing opponents to complete just 50.3% of passes for 2,151 yards – seventh-fewest in FBS.
 
Mizzou had four players inside the SEC’s top 25 of passes defended, including three defensive backs in Joshuah Bledsoe, Khalil Oliver and Tyree Gillespie.
 
Carter was a standout, All-Big 12 safety at TCU prior to starting his coaching career. The New Orleans native played in 49 games for the Horned Frogs from 2011-14, starting 39 including all 38 over his final three years. As a senior, he was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, a Senior CLASS Award finalist and a Senior CLASS Award second-team All-American.

Staff Report