FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman is expected to hire Cody Kennedy, the recently appointed offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Southern Miss, as the Razorbacks' tight ends coach.
Bruce Feldman of The Athletic first reported the move on Tuesday, and new Southern Miss Coach Will Hall confirmed it to the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun-Herald. Hall, who replaced interim Southern Miss Coach Tim Billings last month, brought Kennedy on board shortly thereafter. Both had previously been on Coach Willie Fritz's offensive staff at Tulane.
Kennedy, 31, would replace Jon Cooper, who was part of Pittman's first-year Arkansas staff but was advised he would not be retained last week.
Kennedy, a native of Norfolk, Va., who prepped at Florence (Ala.) High, has ties to Pittman dating to Pittman's time as the offensive line coach at Georgia, where Kennedy served as a graduate assistant in 2018.
Kennedy spent the last two seasons as offensive line coach at Tulane before joining the Southern Miss staff.
A graduate of Southeastern Louisiana (2012) with a master's degree in physical education from West Alabama (2014), Kennedy broke into the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant at West Alabama and West Georgia before landing the offensive line coach job at North Carolina-Pembroke in 2015.
The Razorbacks return their top two pass-catching tight ends in Blake Kern and Hudson Henry from the 2020 team. Kern caught 20 passes for 201 yards and 2 touchdowns and elected to return for another run at his senior season as allowed by the NCAA due to the covid-19 pandemic. Henry, a sophomore, battled through injury and had 16 receptions for 92 yards and 1 touchdown.
Arkansas also brings back 2020 signee Collin Sutherland and walk-on Nathan Bax at tight end. The Razorbacks signed Erin Outley of Little Rock Parkview in December.
Kennedy would be the third Arkansas staff change of the offseason, with Kenny Guiton replacing Justin Stepp as receivers coach, and Michael Scherer moving to full-time linebackers coach in place of Rion Rhoades.