FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas has turned to a coach with both NFL and SEC experience in its effort to revamp the secondary for the 2025 season.
Nick Perry, who spent last season as a defensive assistant with the Seattle Seahawks and previously worked for the Atlanta Falcons, has been hired as the Razorbacks’ defensive backs coach.
Perry, a Prattville, Ala., native, played at Alabama and began his coaching career there as a graduate assistant. He later worked as an analyst before moving to the NFL.
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said Perry’s experience is expected to help the Razorbacks’ secondary improve after a disappointing 2024 season.
The Razorbacks finished 89th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in turnovers gained last season, with only 15. Perry said increasing that number is a priority.
“We’re getting our hands on the balls and that’s always a positive,” Perry said. “Now we have to have the confidence and the savviness to feel comfortable playing the ball in the air or making those contested catches. We’re working that every day and we’re going to continue to drill that.”
Perry met with reporters this week and described the energy at practice as high.
“My voice is a little gone, it was third down day, and we were getting after it in the secondary,” Perry said. “So, this is a good thing, where my voice is hoarse, that’s a positive thing. But it’s been a blessing. It’s been a crazy ride, coming from Seattle, coming to Arkansas, but we started with a bang.”
Arkansas defensive backs Jaheim Singletary, Julian Neal and Kani Walker said Perry’s energy has had an immediate impact.
“He knows what it’s like out there, so he’s not going to get onto us about certain stuff,” Neal said. “He wants us to be our best at all times, but he knows how it is out there. Being able to learn under Coach Perry has been great for the past few months. I’ve learned a lot, and he’s pushing me to be my best. That’s all I can say.”
Walker joined Arkansas after time at Oklahoma, bringing SEC experience to the group. Neal, a transfer from Fresno State, is expected to play a significant role in the secondary this season.
Singletary, another recent transfer, has also drawn attention during camp.
Perry’s approach is influenced by his time at Alabama under coach Nick Saban, whom he credits for teaching him to “enjoy the process.”
“This is fun,” Perry said. “This is the best time of their lives as well. At the end of day, they get to continue playing the game that they love. They’ve been playing since they were a kid. It can be very businesslike at times.
“But keep the main thing the main thing. Playing football is fun, and so if you don’t look at it as a job, you don’t look like, ‘Oh, I have to be here.’ Look at it as you’re playing a sport that you love.
“You get to go to work every day and play football. I get to go to work every day and coach football. What’s better than that?”
Perry recalled past games against Arkansas as a player, noting the challenging environment at Razorback Stadium.
“Pig sooie,” Perry said. “I don’t think I had pork for the next two months after that game. It was a wild atmosphere, and once again, coming in and Arkansas was throwing the first punch. They did that.
“We knew going in we always respected Arkansas. Knowing they’re going to play hard. It’s going to be tough. This is a tough place to play at. With the fans there and the pig sooie it can get a little wild.”
Pittman said he wanted his defense to force more turnovers and play more physically in 2025. He has emphasized the need for taller corners who can hold up in man coverage, a focus reflected in Perry’s approach.
Competition for starting jobs in the secondary has been intense during fall camp.
The Razorbacks will have a day off Wednesday before returning to practice in full pads. Arkansas is preparing for a challenging schedule that will test Perry’s revamped secondary early and often.
Players have responded well to Perry’s leadership.
“It’s been a blessing. It’s been a crazy ride, coming from Seattle, coming to Arkansas, but we started with a bang,” Perry said. Neal added, “He’s pushing me to be my best. So that’s all I can say.”
With Perry’s NFL experience and player-focused mindset, Arkansas is hoping for measurable improvement in the secondary.
As the 2025 season approaches, Razorbacks coaches and players remain focused on building a stronger defensive identity and competing in a demanding SEC schedule.
