Travis Williams joins SEC foe after Razorbacks coaching departure

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Travis Williams is back in the SEC, proving once again that coaching careers can bounce around faster than a stray kickoff in November.

The former Arkansas defensive coordinator, who was let go during the Razorbacks’ chaotic midseason reset, is expected to join Texas A&M as the new linebackers coach after they finish in the playoffs.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Williams could also end up with an additional staff title, because every SEC staff seems to hand those out the way concession stands hand out napkins.

On3’s Pete Nakos confirmed the report, giving Williams his next chance in a league where second acts are practically a requirement.

His return comes only months after Arkansas dismissed him in the middle of a season that featured a coaching change, a 2–3 start and a home loss to Notre Dame that felt like several losses packed into one afternoon.

Williams worked seven years in various roles at Auburn and is also the former defensive coordinator at UCF. He spent three years as Arkansas defensive coordinator.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 16, 2025

Williams had been hired by Sam Pittman with hopes that he could steady the defense long enough for the Razorbacks to avoid meltdowns. That didn’t quite materialize.

Pittman himself didn’t make it through the season, and Arkansas handed Bobby Petrino the interim job heading into Week 6. It wasn’t the kind of environment built for long-term defensive planning.

For Williams, the landing at Texas A&M probably feels like familiar ground. He’s spent most of his career hopping between college sidelines, high school fields, and NFL practice shirts — all of it pointing to the same conclusion that he knows linebackers, and he knows how to navigate coaching turnover without losing his footing.

His coaching journey began in 2009 at Auburn, where he worked as a graduate assistant for three seasons. It was essentially the coaching version of living in the dorms again with a lot of long hours and not much glamour, but enough to learn the basics.

In 2012, he finally got his own position group at Northern Iowa, serving as the linebackers coach and getting a taste of the job on his own terms.

After that single year, Williams dipped into the high school ranks at Creekside High School in Georgia, coordinating the defense. One season there and he was back to Auburn, this time as a defensive analyst.

That role lasted two seasons before he slid into the linebackers coach job again, proving that his Auburn loop had more layers than a GPS recalculating for the third time.

By 2019, Auburn promoted him to co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

He held that job through the 2021 season before reconnecting with Gus Malzahn at UCF, working as defensive coordinator for two seasons. That stint added more play-calling experience to his résumé — and likely added a few gray hairs, because calling defense in today’s football is basically trying to stop a video game on fast mode.

In 2023, Williams arrived at Arkansas under Pittman. He spent two seasons there, navigating injuries, depth challenges and game scripts that forced the defense back onto the field far too often.

Texas A&M is expected to hire Travis Williams as linebackers coach, sources tell @CBSSports.

Was Arkansas’ defensive coordinator the last three years after two as DC at UCF. In addition to his work as a coach, has been consistently recognized as one of nation’s top recruiters. pic.twitter.com/OUkIccPkaA
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 16, 2025

Now Williams moves to Texas A&M, a program getting ready for a run in the College Football Playoff.

Williams’ playing career gives him credibility with the guys he coaches. As a linebacker at Auburn, he earned Second-Team All-SEC honors in 2004 and 2005 and landed on the program’s All-Decade Team.

Before entering coaching, he spent a season in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons in 2007. It wasn’t a long stint, but long enough to say he reached the top level — which is often more than enough for players to listen.

His move back into the SEC is the next step in a career defined by constant adaptation. The conference has changed, coaching staffs have changed, expectations have changed — but Williams keeps finding his way in. And linebackers? He keeps finding those too.

With Texas A&M adding him to the mix, the SEC carousel simply spins on.

Key takeaways

Williams is joining Texas A&M as linebackers coach
His coaching career includes Auburn, UCF and Arkansas
His SEC playing background adds to his coaching value

Key takeaways

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