A first as a part of a long career

As a part of its series in celebration of Black History Month, the Razorback Athletic Department is saluting Trailblazers from the African-American community who have attended the University of Arkansas.

Frank Falks came to the University of Arkansas in 1973 to work with the defensive ends and became the first African-American assistant football coach in school history.

Falks was on the Razorback staff from 1973-76 and during that time he helped lead Arkansas to the Southwestern Conference Co-Championship in 1975. The season saw the Razorbacks finish with a 10-2 record and ranked seventh by the Associated Press. Arkansas finished the year with a 31-10 victory over Georgia in the 1976 Cotton Bowl.

Falks is a native of Tampa, Florida, and he played linebacker at Joplin Junior College, in Joplin (Mo.), where he earned all-America honors 1964. He was elected into Joplin’s Hall of Fame in 1973. He continued his playing career at Parsons College, where he earned all-America honors in 1966.

Falks spent 25 years in the college coaching ranks. He began his career at his alma mater, Parsons College, in Fairfield, Iowa, as offensive coordinator for two seasons (1968-69). He moved to Kansas State as offensive line coach from 1970-72, before coming to Fayetteville. Following his time with the Razorbacks, he then spent two years as the defensive coordinator at Wyoming (1978-79), one season as defensive coordinator at San Diego State (1980), and two years as running backs coach at Oklahoma State (1981-82). Falks spent four seasons at USC from 1983-86, the first two as running backs coach, and the final two as assistant head coach before joining Arizona State as running backs coach for four seasons (1987-91). From 1992-93, Falks was the running backs coach at Ohio State University.

He then joined the NFL coaching ranks where he spent time at San Diego (1994-96), Detroit (1997-00) and St. Louis (2003-05).