Ralph L. "Sporty" Carpenter (August 6, 1930 – February 16, 1990) was an American football and baseball coach.
He served as the head football coach at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas from 1971 to 1989, compiling a record of 119–76–5.
Carpenter was also the head baseball coach at Henderson State from 1970 to 1975, tallying a mark of 106–68.
A native of Hamburg, Arkansas, Carpenter played college football at Henderson State from 1954 to 1956 under head coach Duke Wells.
Carpenter died on February 16, 1990, at a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee from complications of a liver transplant.