Three Razorbacks Address Pittman’s Job Security amid Goal for Season

Sam Pittman, Luke Hasz, Landon Jackson, Arkansas football
photo credit: Arkansas Athletics / 103.7 The Buzz

LITTLE ROCK – The optimism of a new football season is a wonderful thing. In late July, everybody is 0-0 and has a chance. Coaches take to the podium at media days feeling positive and upbeat. Even the programs that everyone knows isn’t going to do well once the season starts.

My friends at 103.7 the Buzz tapped into that enthusiasm for the Razorbacks Friday night, as is tradition, with The Countdown to Kickoff celebration at The Hall concert venue in downtown Little Rock. The event featured food and drink and football talk with all of the Buzz personalities as well as sit-down interviews with current Hogs Luke Hasz, Landon Jackson and Isaiah Sategna.

The event also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Hogs beating Tennessee avenging a tough loss the year before in the final minutes with special guests former QB Clint Stoerner, receiver Anthony Lucas and head coach Houston Nutt. 

It was a fun night and several of the personalities and Stoerner broke down the 2024 games and predicted a 8-4 record to the delight of the crowd. (The group was still positive but a little less so than last year when they predicted 11-1 before a 4-8 season.) If you read the national pundits, you’re aware that very few are predicting better than 4-8. It seems like very few who cover college football are giving the Hogs much hope. And it seems like the general consensus is if Arkansas doesn’t get bowl eligible, Sam Pittman’s job is in serious jeopardy.

Arkansas Football Players on Sam Pittman

“We always want to have Coach Pittman’s back because we know he loves us,” Hasz, a sophomore tight end, said in an interview with Best of Arkansas Sports. “We love him, and we just want to go out there and give him our best.”

Satenga, a redshirt sophomore receiver said Pittman’s status isn’t a topic of conversation in the locker room and most players ignore the negative press.

“We don’t really worry about the outside chatter,” said Sategna, a redshirt sophomore. “People are going to say what they want, and what they think, but it isn’t really about that. It’s about how we are playing and about us. We are just going to stay close and not worry about the outside noise.” Landon Jackson and Luke Hasz echoed his sentiments.

Besides Pittman’s job status the other big headline in the offseason is the hiring of former fired Hogs head coach Bobby Petrino as the new offensive coordinator, which goes hand in hand with Pittman’s job security.

“[Petrino’s offense] been really good, we’ve really been focusing on the little things that are making us better,” Sategna added. “We are excited to have him back, and he is excited.”

Petrino’s entrance coincides with the transfer of former Boise State QB Taylen Green. Sategna, who is a track sprinter, raved about Green’s ability to run and throw calling him “the fastest player on the team.” Sategna, is one of a cast of speedsters in the receiving corps that could benefit from Petrino’s wide-open style and Green’s ability to scramble in the pocket to produce more breakaways that evoke his top play of 2023:

“I feel like my skill set really complements Petrino’s offense,” Sategna said. I feel like we are going to be a good fit together this year.”

Hasz, was having a breakout season as a freshman before he broke his clavicle. He, too, is excited about the potentially more aggressive offensive philosophy. 

“We have a bunch of fast guys, and we are going to utilize them exactly the way we need to,” said Hasz, who has put on 15 pounds since last season. 

Green is just one of several players that were added to the portal. All three players agree that the team is improved talent-wise from the end of last season and all think it could translate to more wins this fall.

“I feel like this team is real tight-knit, real close as a team, overall,” he said. “Not just as an offense or as a defense, just tight together. We got a lot of great guys in the portal. There have been some great coaches that have come in got us going.”

The difference between four wins and six wins often boils down to just a few minutes. Arkansas blew chances against Texas A&M and Mississippi State and others that could have made last season less painful. 

What Hogs Must Do in 2024

“We need to close out tight games,” Jackson said. “In SEC play, you are going to have a team every week that plays well, and things are going to be close and we have to finish those fourth quarters and close those games out. That starts every day in the weight room and every day in practice – finishing practices and workouts. I think that is the biggest thing we need to work on.”

Indeed, Pittman has already pinpointed a couple of areas to improve to turn close losses into wins. There’s a good chance the first game to showcase improvement here will come on road in Week 2 at at Big 12 member Oklahoma State. The Hogs will be favored in three of their non-conference games but not in this one. A win over veteran coach Mike Gundy and the Cowboys in Week 2 sets up a path to become bowl eligible and could be a confidence boost. 

“I think it is just as big as every other game,” Jackson said. “It is a great game to play before SEC play. I think Oklahoma State is a great team and will prepare us on both sides of the ball. We are looking at every week the same, and right now we are focused on UAPB,” the season opener.

None of the players wanted to put a number value on the season, but all agreed there is one goal. 

“I wouldn’t say we have a certain expectation for wins but an SEC championship is always the standard,” Sategna said. 

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Luke Hasz on Razorback QBs

Luke Hasz has lavished praise on new Hogs quarterback this offseason. Last week, he told Acri and DJ Williams he especially like the “the way he goes about football, and how his IQ, and he’s always in the film room, and then we’ll go out and catch and throw together, and talk about things. So it’s been awesome being able to do that.”

If you think this is the kind of thing every high-major college quarterback would be doing with his group of receivers, think again.

Last off-season, for instance, KJ Jefferson apparently turned down offers to throw with his 2023 receiving corps. That would definitely explain part of why passing production fell off a cliff after Hasz’s injury.

It would also explain why Green’s desire to throw with his own receiving corps stands out to Hasz, as well as this comment about his new QB from the spring.

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