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Razorbacks expected to hire USF’s Alex Golesh as next coach

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Razorbacks expected to hire USF’s Alex Golesh as next coach


FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Razorbacks football program has turned to a rising offensive mind to lead its next era.

Arkansas is set to hire South Florida Bulls coach Alex Golesh to build upon a foundation left by fired sixth-year coach Sam Pittman.

Golesh is set to take over a Razorbacks program that had grown stagnant in recent years after appearing to be on an upward trajectory through the first three games of the 2022 season.

His hiring signifies a change in the program’s culture that’s seen a high amount of turnover not only with its on the field product but inside the locker room.

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At 40 years-old, Golesh becomes Arkansas’ youngest first-time power conference coach since Houston Nutt and first offensively ecentric hire since Bobby Petrino following the 2007 season.

His career includes roles coaches such as Jim Tressel, Mike Gundy, Tim Beckman and Josh Heupel, with whom he helped engineer Tennessee’s resurgence through a tempo-driven system that ranked among the nation’s most efficient attacks.

During his first season at the helm of South Florida in 2023, Golesh took a program that finished 1–11 the year before and improved it to 7–6, one of the strongest turnarounds in the American Conference History.

Speaking during his rise at USF, Golesh described his coaching foundation as “building sustainable habits rather than temporary sparks.” That philosophy aligns with Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek’s repeated emphasis on program stability.

The Razorbacks’ search was expected to lean toward established Power Five names, but broadened to successful Group of Five conference coaches. The coaching landscape has shifted rapidly in previous years thinks to NIL, transfer portal and other happenings.

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ESPN analyst Greg McElroy praised Golesh’s potential earlier recently, noting that “his system demands discipline but creates accessibility for young quarterbacks to grow quickly. For a program seeking stability behind center, that trait held value to Arkansas as a promising move goinf forward.

Arkansas’ offense has been productive this season as a top 15 unit, but undisciplined play such as penalties and turnovers hampered what could’ve been a stepping stone year for the program.

Golesh’s history suggests immediate attention to structure, tempo, and simplifying reads to open the field horizontally. His Tennessee offenses produced some of the nation’s highest yards-per-attempt numbers, while his USF unit jumped from No. 123 nationally to No. 24 in total offense in just one season.

Golesh built recruiting momentum quickly at South Florida, securing one of the program’s highest-rated classes by leaning on relationships in Florida high schools and emphasizing early play opportunities.

Arkansas’ roster is a mix of young skill-position talent and transfer-era fluidity, which should appeal to Golesh’s preference for versatility. Should he opt to keep current assistants onboard, offensvie line coach Eric Mateos would certainly be an option given several of his commits remain on board throughout the coaching transition.

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Mateos’ unit has continued to improve over the past two seasons, giving up less sacks and pressures against SEC competition.

Golesh’s demeanor has often been described as methodical, detail-driven, and rooted in teaching, which can be a culture changing method inside the Arkansas football facility.

His experience constructing offenses around transferable concepts may allow for a quicker cultural transition. His track record in elevating quarterbacks is particularly relevant for an Arkansas team that struggled to find long-term rhythm behind center.



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Arkansas driver’s licenses and state IDs now available in Apple Wallet

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Arkansas driver’s licenses and state IDs now available in Apple Wallet


Arkansans can now present their driver’s licenses and state identification cards on mobile devices using Apple Wallet, state finance officials announced Wednesday.

The Department of Finance and Administration said Arkansans can use Apple Wallet to present their license or ID in person, online and in apps at select organizations, including at more than 250 Transportation Security



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Your Arkansas Driver’s License Can Now Live on Your iPhone

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Your Arkansas Driver’s License Can Now Live on Your iPhone


IDEMIA Public Security North America and the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration’s Division of Driver Services and Motor Vehicles have launched Arkansas driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet, allowing residents to securely store and use their credentials on an iPhone or Apple Watch.

The new feature gives Arkansans the ability to present their identification at participating businesses and venues, at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints in more than 250 airports, and online or within apps when age or identity verification is required.

The launch builds on Arkansas’ ongoing efforts to expand digital identification options. In March 2025, the state introduced the Arkansas Mobile ID app, and officials say adding IDs to Apple Wallet offers residents another secure and convenient way to access their credentials.

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“We’re proud to build on our partnership with the Arkansas DFA’s Division of Driver Services and Motor Vehicles, expanding on the launch of the Arkansas Mobile ID app in March 2025. The launch of ID in Apple Wallet in the state provides Arkansas residents a new, secure way to store and present their digital credentials, with transparency and control over how their information is shared at the forefront,” said Rob Gardner, CEO, IDEMIA Civil Identity.

To add an Arkansas driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet, users can tap the plus sign at the top of the Wallet app on their iPhone, select “Driver’s License or State ID,” and follow the verification process.

Officials say privacy and security were central considerations in the rollout. Information stored in Apple Wallet is encrypted on a user’s device, and users control when and how their information is shared. When presenting an ID, only the information necessary to verify age or identity is provided.

Apple and the Arkansas Division of Driver Services and Motor Vehicles also do not receive information about when or where residents use their digital IDs.

The technology is also designed to make verification easier for businesses. Participating businesses can use IDEMIA’s Mobile ID Verify app to accept and verify mobile IDs directly from an iPhone without requiring customers to hand over their devices or use additional hardware.

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The launch marks another step toward broader adoption of digital credentials in Arkansas, giving residents a secure alternative to carrying a physical driver’s license or state ID while maintaining control over their personal information.

For information on the launch of IDs in Apple Wallet in Arkansas, click here.

READ ALSO: Adam O’Neal Stepping into Chancellor Role at UA-EACC



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Arkansas gymnatics coach Chris Brooks completes staff with hiring of Zan Jones | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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Arkansas gymnatics coach Chris Brooks completes staff with hiring of Zan Jones | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette


New Arkansas gymnastics coach Chris Brooks announced Monday the hiring of Zan Jones to complete his first staff, as well as the promotion of assistants Kyla Ross and Catelyn Branson.

Brooks succeeded his wife, Jordyn Wieber, on April 28 after Wieber stepped down.

Jones joins the Razorback after two seasons as an assistant coach at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. The Pioneers won back-to-back Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championship titles in 2025 and 2026 with Jones on staff. He has been named a Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Division II assistant coach of the year three times, including this spring.

Jones also earned Midwest Independent Conference assistant coach of the year in both of his seasons at Texas Woman’s.

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Jones served as the Pioneers’ primary vault and uneven bars coach, and the team set a program record of 49.35 on the bars in March.

An Alabama alumnus, Jones served as a student manager for the Crimson Tide gymnastics team. He served a year at Talladega (Ala.) College in its inaugural season of gymnastics and spent time as a recreational and team coach at Trussville (Ala.) Academy of Gymnastics.

Brooks also promoted both Ross and Branson to the title of associate head coach. Ross, a former UCLA gymnast and Olympic gold medalist as part of Team USA in 2012, started at Arkansas as a volunteer assistant in 2022. Ross helped Arkansas produce program records on the balance beam in back-to-back years before taking over the vault squad, which set a program high 49.675 in 2026. 

The Razorbacks ranked as high as No. 2 on the vault last season and were never lower than No. 7. Senior transfer Morgan Price landed the first 10 in school history on the vault in February.

Branson returned to the Arkansas staff ahead of the 2025 season, helping lead the floor squad. In that time, Branson has led the Gymbacks to two of their top five best floor scores ever and Arkansas has been ranked as high as No. 2 in the country on floor in the last two seasons. In 2026, over 60% of the team’s scores on floor were 9.85 or better.

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Branson served as Lindenwood’s head coach from 2022-24, where she was named 2024 Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association South Central Region Coach of the Year and the Midwest Independent Conference Coach of the Year. She led the Lions to their second consecutive and fifth overall USAG national championship and seventh MIC title in 2024.

Branson had a prior stint at Arkansas from 2020 to 2022, in which time the Gymbacks ranked as high as third on beam and second on floor.



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