Razorbacks Lose Position Coach to Big Ten Program

Kenny Guiton leaves Arkansas following successful three years in Fayetteville.

Author:
Jacob Davis
Updated:
Dec 27, 2023 9:05 AM EST
Original:
Dec 26, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas receivers coach Kenny Guiton has been hired for the same position at Wisconsin, per Football Scoop. There has not been any sort of official confirmation, but that is not unusual, either.

Guiton was promoted to interim offensive coordinator at Arkansas when coach Sam Pittman fired Dan Enos following a 7-3 loss to Mississippi State in early November. His offense had a season best offensive output with nearly 500 yards in his play-calling debut, a 39-36 victory for the Razorbacks for the first time in Gainesville.

That didn't last long as Arkansas struggled to move the ball in its last two SEC games against Auburn and Missouri. When Arkansas hired Petrino back in late November, the expectation was Guiton return to his duties as wide receiver coach and remain a key piece in the new offsive staff. Now Pittman must make a second critical hire this season, this time with newly hired offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino in mind.

Still, it's not a move fans should find surprising. There often is a second round of staff changes at this time of the year and after having had a taste of upward mobility as offensive coordinator at Arkansas, it's hard to move back down to an old position at the same school.

Names of former Petrino assistants like Paul Petrino (his brother) and Garrick McGee will be floated around, but that's simply nostalgia and speculation coming together. McGee coached quarterbacks a couple of seasons with the Hogs as well as serving as offensive coordinator in 2010 and 2011. Overseeing the offense in the Razorbacks' best two years under Petrino landing him the head coaching job at UAB. In the time since, he's bounced around the SEC and other Power Four schools, mostly coaching quarterbacks and receivers.

As for Guiton, he's been with Pittman since 2021. He helped recruit receivers like 4-star Isaiah Sategna and Top 120 prospect Ashton Bethel-Roman for the current 2024 cycle.