Pearl River football head coach Seth Smith has added a familiar face to his staff, announcing the hiring of former Wildcat Carter Hankins as Quarterbacks coach.

Hankins returns to Poplarville after being a standout two-sport player at Pearl River from 2015-17, starring both on the diamond and the gridiron before continuing his collegiate playing career at Northwestern State and Southern Miss.

"There's a saying, 'Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat,' and we are fired up that Coach Hankins is coming back home," Smith said. "He has extensive experience in the quarterback room, both as a player and as a coach. He has played and coached at both the Division I level and the junior college level, so he knows what it takes to recruit and he knows what it takes to develop.

"Coach Hankins has had success everywhere he's been — he is one of the best and brightest young coaches out there. He brings energy, enthusiasm and a hunger to be successful every day. We can't wait to get started."

Hankins joins the staff after spending the 2025 season as the Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks coach at Southwest Mississippi. The Bears averaged 307.9 yards per game, including 174 passing yards per game and 133.9 rushing yards per contest.

Before his time at Southwest, Hankins served as Quarterbacks coach at Holmes. In 2024, he helped guide the Bulldogs to their first playoff appearance in 21 years and developed one of the MACCC's most efficient passing units. Holmes averaged 282.3 passing yards per game, with two quarterbacks surpassing the 800-yard mark as the Bulldogs finished 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the MACCC North Division.

"It's great to be back. I grew up on the sideline here when Coach Hatten had the program rolling, and I played here. To return now is incredibly special for me and even more meaningful for my family. I'm excited to be here and ready to get to work and win some ballgames," Hankins said.

Hankins' coaching career includes five seasons as a Graduate Assistant at Southern Miss, where he worked with multiple position groups, helped develop two-time All-Sun Belt standout Frank Gore Jr., and was part of the staff that captured the 2022 Lending Tree Bowl.

A native of Purvis and a Forrest County AHS graduate, Hankins holds two master's degrees from Southern Miss in Sports Management and in Coaching and Sports Performance. He earned his bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies. Hankins is also newly married to his wife, Tori, formerly Tori Gieger.