Who is Sacramento State’s 14th head football coach? The Alonzo Carter file
Alonzo Carter, a longtime Northern California football coach and the assistant head coach at the University of Arizona, was introduced as the new head coach at Sacramento State during a news conference Thursday. Carter becomes the 14th head coach in the 72-year history of Hornets football.
Carter’s hiring marks a return to roots for the Oakland native, who built a reputation for leadership, recruiting and success at the high school, junior college and NCAA levels. He sign a multi-year contract with the Hornets on Monday.
Sacramento State officials, including President Luke Wood and Athletic Director Mark Orr, selected Carter following a nationwide search to replace Brennan Marion, who left after one season to become offensive coordinator at Colorado.
The Alonzo Carter File
Born: Nov. 15, 1968, in Oakland
High School: McClymonds in Oakland, graduating in 1987, where he played football and competed in track and field
College: Contra Costa College; Cal State East Bay, graduating in 2016
High school coaching: From 1999 to 2006, Carter served as head coach at McClymonds, winning three CIF Oakland Section championships and four league crowns. He was the Berkeley High head coach (2007-09). His high school coaching record is 129-69-3.
JuCo coaching: Carter was the head coach at Contra Costa College in San Pablo from 2010 to 2016, guiding the program to four conference championships, earning three conference Coach of the Year honors.
Hall honors: Carter was inducted into the Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame in Oakland in 2001 and the Contra Costa College Hall of Fame in 2025.
Before Sacramento State: Carter was the assistant head coach and running backs coach at the University of Arizona in 2024 and 2025 and served in the same roles at San Jose State from 2017-23.
Now: Carter is the 14th coach in the 72-year history of Hornets football and the fourth since 2022.
What they said: “Coach Carter is a proven leader who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to developing student-athletes on and off the field. His history of success in recruiting, constructing teams, and producing results at all levels of football makes him an ideal fit for Sacramento State” —Mark Orr, Sacramento State athletic director
What he said: “This is truly an honor and a dream fulfilled. Every stop in my career has prepared me for this moment. Sacramento State deserves a program built on discipline, effort and pride. We’re here to raise the standard and represent this university the right way.”
Bust a move: Carter was a lead dancer and choreographer for MC Hammer in the early 1990s, having met the rapper through their high school and Oakland roots.
Family: Carter is the father of four children: Alonzo Jr., Alona, Anthony and Kennedie.
This story was originally published December 18, 2025 at 10:22 AM.