UA assistant coach Rhoades stepping down

FILE -- Rion Rhoades, an assistant coach with the University of Arkansas football team, speaks with members of the media Thursday, February 6, 2020, inside the Fred W. Smith Football Center on the campus in Fayetteville.
 (NWA Democrat-Gazette/David Gottschalk)
FILE -- Rion Rhoades, an assistant coach with the University of Arkansas football team, speaks with members of the media Thursday, February 6, 2020, inside the Fred W. Smith Football Center on the campus in Fayetteville. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/David Gottschalk)

University of Arkansas defensive quality control coach Rion Rhoades announced his retirement on Wednesday while saying he plans to launching a new business in December in Hutchinson, Kan.

Rhoades, a player at Hutchinson Community College for Coach Sam Pittman in the early 1990s, joined the first-year Arkansas coach as linebackers coach last season.

Pittman shuffled Rhoades' role after the season, bringing in Michael Scherer as linebackers coach and moving Rhoades, a 23-year coaching veteran, to quality control.

"I am so thankful for the wonderful people I have met along the way ... fellow coaches, support staff, players, fans and supporters," Rhoades said on social media."

Rhoades said his new business will launch on Dec. 13.

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