Assistant coaching carousel season remains in full bloom with Arkansas adding a new member to the football staff from Colorado. Daniel Da Prato, who had previously served as the special teams coach and quality control coach for the Buffs is heading to the SEC. Arkansas is the destination, where it is being suggested Da Prato will be taking on a similar role for the Razorbacks.
Da Prato announced his departure from Colorado on his Twitter account, which also included an updated profile and banner image to go with an updated bio to confirm his new job at Arkansas.
Buff Nation,
— 𝑪𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒍 𝑫𝒂 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐 (@CoachDaPrato) February 9, 2019
Thank you for the most amazing 3 years in #BeautifulBoulder I want thank @RunRalphieRun @CoachMikeMac @RickGeorgeCU @buffs4life2 @Coach_mtucker for giving me the opportunity to be a #Buff4Life 💯🙌🏻 I will always be a BUFF! #GoBuffs #NewChapter pic.twitter.com/HnLCWjOkxH
Arkansas was in need of a new special teams coach after losing Tanner Burns left the program to join the coaching staff assembled at Liberty by new Flames head coach, and former Ole Miss head coach, Hugh Freeze.
Arkansas was the only team in the SEC to allow two kickoff returns for touchdowns in 2018. The rest of the conference’s 13 teams combined to allow two kickoff return touchdowns all season. The Razorbacks had an SEC-low nine punt returns all season too, making them the only team from a power conference without at least 10 punt returns last season. Arkansas also ranked 92d in the nation in kickoff average (60.15 yards per kickoff attempt. The Razorbacks also had just one punt or kick block last season.