UCF’s Travis Williams Reportedly Set to Be Hogs’ New Defensive Coordinator

Choice would be former SEC player, coordinator with strong recruiting background

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
Dec 18, 2022 1:23 AM EST

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Nothing is official, but there are multiple reports all citing sources saying Central Florida defensive coordinator Travis Williams is the choice.

A decision is not surprising as Arkansas coach Sam Pittman indicated that in a press conference Friday.

"We're closing in on that," he said. "I don't know exactly what I'm going to do as far as announcing that. I think I'm weighing our program and possibilities of hurting our recruiting versus hurting some other university's recruiting. It is so close to signing day."

It's not official, but there are enough reports from reliable places to think it's accurate, barring something goofy happening.

Williams has been Gus Malzahn's defensive coordinator at UCF the past two seasons and was co-defensive coordinator, linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Auburn before that.

He does have some SEC background.

Williams is a native of Columbia, South Carolina, and played at Auburn. He was at Auburn from 2014 through 2020 in a few different roles.

In 2016, Malzahn promoted him to linebackers coach, giving him his first on-field coaching position on the major college level. He was named the Tigers' co-defensive coordinator from 2019-20.

UCF has been solid on defense this year, giving up 23.2 points per game this season to rank third in the AAC (39th nationally). They also finished third his first year there in 2021 (24.5 ppg). UCF is fifth in the ACC this season in total defense, giving up 382.6 yards per game (71st nationally).

They were fourth last year at 369.3 yards per game allowed.

Williams would replace Barry Odom, who left for the UNLV job recently. He also has experience coaching linebackers, which may or may not be a sign that there may be a suspected interest that Michael Scherer might join Odom, although Pittman said nobody has hinted at that to him.

Scherer is expected to be calling the defenses for the Hogs against Kansas in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 28.

Information from other media reports is included in this story.