FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas fifth-year running backs coach Jimmy Smith has resigned his position with the Razorbacks, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has learned, and is reportedly in line to take the same job at TCU.
247Sports.com reported Smith has been targeted by TCU Coach Sonny Dykes and offensive coordinator Kendal Briles for the running backs spot left vacant when Anthony Jones took the same job at Southern Cal earlier this week.
Smith, 44, had been part of Coach Sam Pittman's original staff at Arkansas from the winter of 2019-20, joining special teams coordinator Scott Fountain with that distinction. He worked with Briles for three seasons (2020-22) at Arkansas, helping produce some of the best running attacks in school history.
The Razorbacks ranked seventh in the country in 2021 with 227.8 rushing yards per game and had four players with 500-plus rushing yards in quarterback KJ Jefferson (664), Trelon Smith (598), Raheim Sanders (578) and Dominique Johnson (575).
Arkansas also ranked seventh in FBS rushing in 2022 with 236.5 yards per game. Sanders enjoyed a breakout season with 1,443 yards, the fourth-highest single season rushing total in school history.
However, with Briles gone last season, Arkansas fell to 86th in rushing (139.0 ypg) and Sanders had an injury-plagued season before transferring to South Carolina over the winter.
Smith, a native of Darlington, S.C., had previously been running backs coach at Georgia State and a state championship winning high school coach at Cedar Grove in the metro Atlanta area.
The Razorbacks still boast a loaded running back roster with Johnson (a senior), junior Rashod Dubinion, sophomore Isaiah Augustave and newcomers Braylen Russell and Ja'Quinden Jackson.
Smith was considered one of the top recruiters on the staff.