FAYETTEVILLE – Sam Pittman sat in with a lean back, relaxed in his chair as he took questions from the media following Arkansas’ 35-14 win over Louisiana Tech. The victory clinched Arkansas’ bowl eligibility, marking the fourth time in five seasons under Pittman’s watch the Razorbacks have reached such a mark. Still, perpetual doubters and naysayers remain and will remain dissatisfied.
They’re wrong, of course. But Pittman couldn’t care less about them or the status of his job.
“Am I happy that we are bowl eligible? Yes. For everybody in the building and that staff besides me,” Pittman said. “I’ve never worried about that (job status). Still don’t. I’m going to be fine one way or the other. But I’m going to fight like hell for the University of Arkansas the entire time I’m head coach.”
The truth is that Arkansas is doing exactly what it should be given its history in the 21st century. The Razorbacks are a low- to mid-tier Southeastern Conference and as long as they are reaching that middle section more than the lower, Pittman deserves to steer the ship. That’s especially true as the team prepares to head into the offseason.
Certainly, Arkansas’ final game against Missouri next week matters. But only in a win. A win would leave no doubt about Pittman’s status going into 2025. A loss shouldn’t matter, either, though, as the belief around the program is that Pittman would return next year as long as Arkansas vs La Tech produced the expected result. Now, with a bowl bid waiting, anything extra is gravy.
Looking ahead to Arkansas Football’s 2025 Schedule
Arkansas has its work cut out for it next year. Starting over with a new staff would be foolish. The Razorbacks are almost guaranteed to be underdogs on all its SEC road games – at Texas, Ole Miss, LSU and Tennessee – and with Notre Dame likely to be a significant favorite when the Fighting Irish visit Fayetteville, five losses are staring the Hogs right in the face.
That doesn’t mean they will be five losses; it just means the sledding next fall will be tougher than it was this fall. Memphis, which is on the cusp of a second straight 10-win season, will also visit. Texas A&M, Auburn, Mississippi State and Missouri all head to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, too. Arkansas has beaten the Aggies just once in the teams’ last 13 meetings dating back to 2012. And the Hogs have just two wins against Missouri since the Tigers joined the conference in 2014.
The conversation about Pittman’s job status makes a lot more sense in November and December 2025, accordingly. But for now, he and the staff have positives to build on to stave off any potential more realistic job questions.
Taylen Green will likely be back as the team’s starting quarterback and Ja’Quinden Jackson and Rashod Dubinion could return as a one-two punch in the backfield. Green’s play has been mixed this year – he accounted for four of Arkansas’ five touchdowns against Louisiana Tech, but made several questionable throws, as has been the standard – but another year working with offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino should help. And Jackson, when healthy, has been one of the best three running backs in the whole conference. Even missing basically a month of the season, he still entered Saturday as the fifth-leading rusher in the league.
That’s the good news. The curiosities come at wide receiver and the offensive line. If Pittman were to leave after this season – and again, that is incredibly unlikely now – the roster will be almost completely flushed. Those two positions are going to be lacking, regardless. Andrew Armstrong, who became just the fifth player in school history to have a 1,000-yard season receiving, will be out of eligibility. Only Isaiah Sategna will return among Arkansas’ top four wideouts. And the line could use a refresh as the Hogs entered the game against Tech tied for 116th in FBS in sacks allowed.
Talk Task Post Arkansas vs LA Tech
Really, Arkansas will enter the offseason with a nice blend of returners and open spots, which means Pittman and Co. will be able to tell portal transfer targets they have plenty of opportunity to win starting gigs, including on defense. Landon Jackson is bound for the NFL and three other players in the defensive line two-deep are out of eligibility, as well. Jayden Johnson and Doneiko Slaughter, two of Arkansas’ top five tacklers, are gone, too.
A new coach would have almost no chance to replenish the losses suffered by those players alone, nevermind the fact that several others would likely hit the portal, too, under a new regime. Tight end Luke Hasz, for example, would probably hit the door. And while his sophomore season hasn’t completely delivered on the promise of his freshman year, he remains an important piece of the offense and still has the potential for an All-SEC caliber career.
Arkansas will not win 10 games next year and if that’s your threshold on whether Pittman would deserve another crack, you’re not being practical. Realistically, Pittman is doing exactly what is expected of him with the Razorbacks. Stay the course. Hold the fort. Whatever cliche you prefer. It’s more important now, after a win over a mediocre Louisiana Tech team, than ever.
“I was on six staffs where you go into the season and everybody has got you fired,” Pittman said. “Three of them were fired during the season. Three of them were fired the day after the season.
“But I control this.”
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