John Carr, who spent the last three seasons as assistant head coach and inside receivers coach at Troy, has returned to ULM as wide receivers coach under second-year head coach Terry Bowden. The former Ouachita Parish High School head football coach, Carr has more than 20 years of coaching experience at the prep, junior college and collegiate levels.
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Prior to the 2021 season, Troy head coach Chip Lindsey added the title of passing game coordinator to Carr’s responsibilities. The Trojans finished third in the Sun Belt Conference in completion percentage (.632) and fifth in passing yards per game (238.7).
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In 2021, Carr also tutored All-Sun Belt Third-Team wide receiver Tez Johnson, who had 67 receptions for 735 yards and four touchdowns. Johnson ranked second in the league in receptions per game (5.58) and seventh in receiving yards per game (61.3).
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During 2019-20 seasons, Troy’s Kaylon Geiger emerged as one of the nation’s top receivers with 141 receptions for 1,625 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. In 2020, Geiger earned All-Sun Belt Second-Team honors after finishing tied for third in receptions (64) and fifth in receiving yards (752). He was named 2019 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year after ranking second in the conference in receptions (77), receiving yards (873) and receiving yards per game (72.8). His 77 catches ranked as the third-highest single-season total in Trojan history and his five 100-yard receiving games tied the school single-season record. In his first two seasons, Geiger set Troy career records for receptions per game (6.13) and 100-yard receiving games (9).
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During Carr’s first season at Troy, his receivers combined to produce 11 100-yard receiving games in 2019, shattering the school’s previous single-season record of seven.
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In 2019, the Trojans eclipsed 500 yards total offense in six different games to match the program’s NCAA Division I record and topped 35 points eight times, the second-highest total in school history and the fourth-best single-season mark in Sun Belt history. Troy finished among the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision leaders in passing offense (ninth at 313.2 ypg.), total offense (18th at 456.3 ypg.) and scoring offense (25th at 33.8 ppg.).
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Prior to making the intra-conference move to Troy, Carr spent the 2018 season as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at ULM under head coach Matt Viator.
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In 2018, ULM posted a 6-6 record and became bowl eligible for the first time since 2013. The Warhawks again finished among the Sun Belt leaders in passing offense (second at 247.5 ypg.) and total offense (fourth 414.8 ypg.).
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In 2018, he worked with Marcus Green, who became an All-Sun Belt First-Team selection as both a wide receiver and all-purpose player as well as one of finalists for the Paul Hornung Award, presented to college football's most versatile player. As a fifth-year senior, Green led the team in receptions (50), receiving yards (855), touchdown receptions (8) and all-purpose yards (1,518). He ranked among the Sun Belt leaders in TD receptions (tied for second), receiving yards per game (tied for third at 71.2) and receptions (seventh at 4.2 per game). Green, who was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round of the 2019 National Football League Draft, made his Canadian Football League debut in 2021 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
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Before beginning his first stint at ULM, Carr worked for two seasons under Steve Buckley as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Jones College (formerly Jones County Junior College) in Ellisville, Mississippi. In addition to his play-calling responsibilities, he also coached the quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends while helping the Bobcats to a combined record of 14-5 (.737).
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In 2017, Jones College went 8-2 overall, including a 6-1 record in conference play, while ranking among the NJCAA national leaders in scoring offense (seventh at 41.4 points per game), rushing offense (eighth at 261.8 yards per game) and total offense (12th at 453.2 ypg.). The Bobcats scored 50 or more points in three games, including 61 at Southwest Mississippi. Carr coached two All-MACJC South selections, in wide receiver Kendall Parham (first team) and tight end Chancie Tidwell (second team).
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In 2016, Jones College finished among the national leaders in rushing offense (seventh at 238.6 ypg.), total offense (18th at 392.8 ypg.) and scoring offense (27th at 30.4 ppg.) en route to a 6-3 record, including a 5-3 league mark.
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Carr previously worked for three years as the director of football operations for Todd Monken at Southern Miss (2013-15) where he managed team travel, event operations, fundraising projects, clinics and camps.
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From 2005-12, Carr served as head coach at Ouachita Parish High School where he compiled a 72-28 record (.720) in eight seasons. In his first year, he led the Lions to the Class 4A semifinals. His teams advanced to the state quarterfinals on three occasions (2006: Class 4A, 2008: Class 5A and 2012: Class 5A). During his tenure, more than 30 of his student-athletes signed scholarship offers with collegiate programs.
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Prior to becoming head coach at Ouachita Parish, Carr spent the 2004 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for his father Roger at East Mississippi Community College. In addition to his coaching duties, he wore many hats, acting as the program's sports information director, financial aid director and academic advisor.
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Carr gained experience as an assistant coach at four area high schools, including Neville, Ouachita, West Monroe and West Ouachita.
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The Ruston, Louisiana, native played for legendary coach Chick Childress at Ruston High School. Carr became a three-year letterman (1993-95) as a wide receiver for head coach Joe Peace at Louisiana Tech. He received a Bachelor of Science in health and physical education from Louisiana Tech in 1996 and earned a Master of Education in administration and supervision from ULM in 2001.
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Carr is married to the former Paige Hammonds and the couple has two daughters: Anna and Emma.
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His father Roger became a two-time All-America wide receiver at Louisiana Tech (1972-73) and spent 10 years in the National Football League (Baltimore Colts, 1974-81; Seattle Seahawks, 1982; San Diego Chargers, 1983). He later served two stints (1987-89 and 1999-2000) as an assistant football coach at ULM. Roger was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
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THE CARR FILE
Hometown: Ruston, La.
High School: Ruston (1991)
College: Louisiana Tech (1996); ULM (2001)
Family: Wife Paige
Daughters: Anna and Emma
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COACHING HISTORY
2022: ULM
Wide Receivers Coach
2019-21: Troy
Assistant Head Coach / Inside Receivers Coach / Passing Game Coordinator
Assistant Head Coach / Inside Receivers Coach
2018: ULM
Wide Receivers Coach
2016-17: Jones County Junior College
Assistant Head Coach / Offensive Coordinator
2013-15: Southern Miss
Director of Football Operations
2005-12: Ouachita Parish High School (Monroe, La.)
Head Coach
2004: East Mississippi Community College
Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach
2002-03: Neville High School (Monroe, La.)
Offensive Coordinator
1999-2001: West Monroe (La.) High School
Wide Receivers Coach
1998: West Ouachita High School (West Monroe, La.)
Wide Receivers Coach
1997: Ouachita Parish High School (Monroe, La.)
Wide Receivers Coach
1996: West Ouachita High School (West Monroe, La.)
Wide Receivers Coach
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PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1993-95: Louisiana Tech
Three-Year Letterman / Wide Receiver
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POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE
2015 Heart of Dallas Bowl: Southern Miss
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