Former Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads named Arkansas defensive coordinator

Arkansas football coach Bret Bielema announced Monday that Paul Rhoads has been promoted to defensive coordinator after one season as defensive backs coach.

Bielema, who played defensive line at Iowa from 1989-92, hired Rhoads as an assistant last February after he was let go following seven years as Iowa State's head coach.

It was our first team meeting tonight & awesome reaction as I waited to tell our crew that January 17, 2017

It was our first team meeting tonight & awesome reaction as I waited to tell our crew that @CoachRhoadsUA is our new DC. #WoooPig #CountOnMe

— Bret Bielema (@BretBielema)

Rhoads, who was 32-55 at ISU, takes over for Robb Smith, who left to become defensive coordinator at Minnesota under new coach P.J. Fleck.

The Razorbacks (7-6) ranked eighth in the SEC in both total defense (426.6 yards per game, 76th in FBS) and pass defense (221.2, 56th) in 2016.

Arkansas is 25-26 in Bielema's four years.

Rhoads was defensive coordinator at Pittsburgh (2000-07) and Auburn (2008) before coming to Ames.