Arizona general manager Gaizka Crowley has been hired for the same position at Arkansas and Wildcat's running backs coach Alonzo Carter is being considered as the head coach at Sacramento State, per a pair of separate reports.
Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported Carter is a candidate to be the head coach at Sacramento State. Former Stanford head coach Troy Taylor, who previously coached at Sacramento State and former NFL wide receiver DeSean Jackson, currently the head coach at Delaware State, are also being considered by the Hornets.
Carter is in his ninth season as the RBs coach under head coach Brent Brennan. Carter spent seven seasons with Brennan at San Jose State and has been at Arizona for two seasons. Under Carter, Arizona RB Ismail Mahdi is eighth in the Big XII, averaging 65.92 rushing yards per game.
Carter was the primary recruiter for Arizona, signing four-star RB Brandon Smith and the secondary on four-star wide receiver R.J. Mosley and safety Hannibal Carter Navies. Carter is originally from the Bay Arena. If Sacramento State hires Carter, it would allow him to return closer to his roots.
Some of the coaches that sources have mentioned as possibilities for the Sacramento State head coaching opening: Delaware State coach and ex-NFL star DeSean Jackson, Arizona assistant head coach/running backs coach Alonzo Carter and former Stanford head coach Troy Taylor pic.twitter.com/o7a5mN4T92
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 11, 2025
Crowley led Arizona, flipping its roster in the last two years. Arizona lost 29 transfers and added 26 to its 2024 roster. Brennan was hired in January 2024, which was late in the process. Arizona was about a month behind other programs in the 2024 transfer portal cycle.
Arizona brought in another 29 transfers to the 2025 roster, but lost 36 players to the portal. With a full cycle in 2025, multiple transfers that included Mahdi, RB Quincy Craig and WR Kris Hutson made impacts for Arizona during the 2025 season.
BREAKING: Arkansas @RazorbackFB & new head coach Ryan Silverfield @RSilverfield have completed 1 of their most crucial off-the-field hires, landing rising star Gaizka Crowley @Gaizka_UofA as the Hogs's new general manager, sources tell @FootballScoop: https://t.co/ZUNjMCZP1G
— John Brice (@JohnDBrice1) December 11, 2025
John Brice of Football Scoop broke the story about Crowley. Losing Crowley now is difficult with Arizona preparing for the Holiday Bowl on January 2. The Transfer Portal is open from January 2 through January 16. In addition to preparing for Holiday Bowl and Transfer Portal, Brennan will now have to search for a new GM.