2016-media-guide
2016-media-guide
2016-media-guide
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RORY SEGREST<br />
Rory Segrest, who has several years of coaching<br />
experience at the college and NFL level, enters his<br />
third season as defensive line and specialists coach.<br />
In his second season on The Hill, Segrest helped<br />
the Razorbacks rank second in the Southeastern<br />
Conference and 12th nationally in rushing defense<br />
(116.46). He also helped develop Deatrich Wise Jr.<br />
into one of the SEC’s best pass rushers during the<br />
2015 season. The SEC leader with eight sacks during<br />
conference play, Wise tallied 31 tackles, including<br />
10.5 for loss, in 13 games played. He recorded seven<br />
sacks over the last four regular-season contests,<br />
which paced the SEC and ranked second nationally<br />
during that stretch. Under Segrest’s direction, kicker<br />
Cole Hedlund tied a school record with 58 made PATs<br />
during the season. Segrest also coached punter Toby<br />
Baker into a Ray Guy Award nominee.<br />
During his first season in 2014, Segrest helped the<br />
Razorbacks rank in the top 10 in both scoring and<br />
total defense for the first time since Arkansas joined<br />
the SEC in 1992. The Razorback defense became the<br />
first unit in college football history to shutout back-toback<br />
ranked opponents as an unranked team when<br />
Arkansas blanked No. 20 LSU and No. 8 Ole Miss.<br />
Arkansas finished No. 2 in the SEC and No. 12 nationally<br />
with just 114.6 rushing yards allowed per game.<br />
Segrest was the position coach for Trey Flowers,<br />
who finished his career with 47.5 career tackles for loss,<br />
second-most in school history. Two of his four starters<br />
earned second-team All-SEC honors, including<br />
Flowers and Darius Philon and both were selected in<br />
the 2015 NFL Draft. Flowers went in the fourth round to<br />
the New England Patriots while Philon was selected in<br />
the sixth round by the San Diego Chargers.<br />
Segrest also coached the Razorback specialists,<br />
kickoff and kickoff return units in 2014. Under his<br />
direction, Arkansas improved from the No. 67 kickoff<br />
return unit in 2013 to No. 5 in the nation and second<br />
in the SEC averaging 23.84 yards per kickoff return in<br />
2014. Punter Sam Irwin-Hill finished the campaign as<br />
one of the nation’s hottest specialists, landing 18 punts<br />
inside the 20 in the final five games of the season as<br />
Arkansas defeated LSU, Ole Miss and Texas. It was the<br />
first time in program history the Razorbacks defeated<br />
those three schools in the same season.<br />
<strong>2016</strong> RAZORBACK FOOTBALL<br />
In the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl in Houston, nose<br />
guard Taiwan Johnson, a Houston native, scored his<br />
first career touchdown, recovering a fumble in the<br />
end zone.<br />
Segrest came to Arkansas after his second stint on<br />
the Samford coaching staff, where he was the team’s<br />
defensive line coach and special teams coordinator<br />
from 2011-13. He previously coached at Samford from<br />
2002-05 when he was defensive line coach, special<br />
teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator.<br />
Samford finished the 2013 season ranked 18th in<br />
the final coaches poll after earning the program’s<br />
first FCS playoff berth since 1992. Fabian Truss<br />
was named to the AFCA FCS Coaches’ All-America<br />
Team as an all-purpose player as he ranked second<br />
nationally in kickoff return average at 32.1 yards per<br />
return. The Samford defense also led the SoCon in<br />
sacks and tackles for loss.<br />
In 2012, Samford defensive lineman Nick Williams<br />
was named first-team all-conference and finished<br />
second in the Southern Conference and 36th<br />
nationally (FCS) with seven sacks. Williams was<br />
drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh<br />
round of the NFL Draft. Samford’s defense tied for<br />
first in the SoCon and finished 27th in the FBS in<br />
sacks with 27. Additionally, Samford ranked 29th in<br />
the FCS in total defense.<br />
Segrest’s special teams units also had success in<br />
2012 finishing sixth in kickoff returns with a 24.91 yards<br />
per return average and first in the SoCon in kickoff<br />
coverage. Punt returner Riley Hawkins finished first in<br />
the SoCon and 14th in the FCS in punt return average,<br />
and Truss finished 13th in the FCS in kick return<br />
average. Kicker Cameron Yam was named first-team<br />
All American as well as first-team all-conference.<br />
In 2011, Samford’s special teams improved in every<br />
category over the previous season. The kickoff return<br />
unit was ranked 12th in the FCS, Truss ranked seventh<br />
in the FCS in kick return average and the punt return<br />
unit was ranked 19th in the FCS. Redshirt freshman<br />
punter Greg Peranich ranked 24th in the FCS and<br />
was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team. Yam<br />
ranked second in the FCS in field goals, connecting<br />
on 23-of-28, and was tied for eighth in total scoring.<br />
Segrest returned to Samford after coaching with<br />
the Philadelphia Eagles from 2006-10. While with the<br />
Eagles, Segrest was the special teams quality control/<br />
assistant defensive line coach (2006-07), special<br />
teams coordinator (2007-09) and defensive line coach<br />
(2009-10). In 2006 and 2010, the Eagles won the NFC<br />
East and made it to the NFC Championship game in<br />
2008. Segrest also coached in the 2009 Pro Bowl.<br />
In 2009 and 2010, the Eagles’ defensive line units<br />
ranked second and fourth, respectively, in the NFL<br />
in sacks by defensive linemen. They ranked third<br />
(2010) and ninth (2009) in the league in tackles for<br />
loss by defensive linemen. In 2010, they were ranked<br />
second in the NFL in quarterback knockdowns and<br />
hurries by defensive linemen. Segrest also coached<br />
two-time Pro Bowler Trent Cole (2007, 2009) while<br />
with the Eagles.<br />
Philadelphia’s special teams finished third in<br />
the NFL in 2008 in field goals made and Pro Bowl<br />
kicker David Akers broke franchise records with<br />
33 field goals and 144 points scored. Akers set his<br />
career high that year with 17 touchbacks. Punter Sav<br />
Rocca set a franchise record with his single-season<br />
net punt average of 37.9. Rocca and Akers were both<br />
named NFL’s Special Teams Player of the month.<br />
42<br />
SEGREST QUICK FACTS<br />
PERSONAL<br />
COACHING DUTIES: Defensive Line/Specialists<br />
BORN: May 20, 1973<br />
FAMILY: Wife, Jackie; Son, James<br />
EDUCATION<br />
Alabama – B.S. in health care management, 1996<br />
JOINED UA STAFF: Jan. 8, 2014<br />
Years Of Collegiate Experience/Years At UA: 18/3<br />
Years of NFL Experience: 5<br />
Recruiting Territory: Georgia<br />
COACHING HISTORY<br />
2014-Pres. ...............Arkansas (Defensive Line/Specialists)<br />
2011-2013 ..........Samford (Def. Line/Special Teams Coord.)<br />
2009-10 .......................Philadelphia Eagles (Defensive Line)<br />
2007-08 ....Philadelphia Eagles (Special Teams Coordinator)<br />
2006 ......Philadelphia Eagles (Special Teams QC/Asst. DL)<br />
2002-05 ............Samford (Def. Line/Special Teams Coord.)<br />
2001 ...Southeast Missouri State (Off. Tackles/TE/Recruiting Coord.)<br />
2000 ......Southeast Missouri State (Def. Line/Recruiting Coordinator)<br />
1999 ..................Southeast Missouri State (Defensive Line)<br />
1997-98 ..................................... Auburn (Graduate Assistant)<br />
1996 ....................Alabama (Strength and Conditioning GA)<br />
1994-95 ........................ Alabama (Student Assistant Coach)<br />
PLAYING EXPERIENCE<br />
1991-93 .....................................Alabama (Offensive Lineman)<br />
POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE<br />
ASSISTANT COACH<br />
Arkansas ....................................................... <strong>2016</strong> Liberty Bowl<br />
2014 Texas Bowl<br />
Samford ...................................................2013 FCS First Round<br />
Philadelphia ...................................2011 NFC Wild Card Round<br />
2010 NFC Wild Card Round<br />
2009 NFC Championship Game<br />
2009 Pro Bowl<br />
2007 NFC Divisional Round<br />
Auburn .............................................................1998 Peach Bowl<br />
Alabama ...................................................... 1997 Outback Bowl<br />
1995 Citrus Bowl<br />
PLAYER<br />
Alabama ............................................................1993 Gator Bowl<br />
1993 Sugar Bowl (Nat’l Champions)<br />
1991 Blockbuster Bowl<br />
Segrest’s previous coaching stops include<br />
Southeast Missouri State where he began in<br />
1999 and added recruiting coordinator duties for<br />
2000-01. He was also the defensive graduate<br />
assistant at Auburn University from 1997-99 working<br />
with the defensive line and special teams units.<br />
His coaching career began under Gene Stallings<br />
as a student assistant at Alabama in 1994 after<br />
his playing career was cut short by an injury. He<br />
was a member of the Crimson Tide’s 1992 National<br />
Championship Team and was also awarded the<br />
team’s 1995 Co-Leadership Award. Collegiately,<br />
Segrest has been part of seven bowl games as<br />
either a player or coach.<br />
A native of Waycross, Ga., and a graduate of<br />
Waycross High School, he earned his bachelor’s<br />
degree in health-care management from Alabama<br />
in 1996 where he met his wife, Jackie. They have<br />
one son, James.
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