Well, I think it gives you life. I do. You know, we’re all striving to get into the playoffs, including the University of Arkansas.” – A Confident Hog In Dallas
As the Southeastern Conference closed out their Football Media Days, from the Omni in Dallas, we would hear from Arkansas head football coach Sam Pittman. Pittman, who enters his fifth season at the helm, would speak on a multitude of topics with one thing in common. Confidence would beam from Pittman when speaking about his team. What did Pittman have to say?
Pitman would begin the day at the podium and start with a story on Monte Kiffin, former Arkansas Defensive Coordinator and current Ole Miss coach, Lane Kiffin, from when he would speak to a team Pittman played on in the late 70’s. After a great story of Pittman knowing he always wanted to be a coach yet after hearing Kiffin speak he found a new perspective. Pittman would end his statement with these words that spoke volumes.
“I remember the impact that his speech, that it made on me. I thought, you know, as I become a coach, how we can change lives and how we can be meaningful to young athletes, and young people by the way that Coach Kiffin talked to us that day. I’ll never forget that as long as I live”
He would then speak on former Alabama head coach, Nick Saban, by saying “When Coach Saban’s interest in me changed Jamie and I’s life. It changed our life financially, changed our life in myself having confidence in my ability.” as well as that “our league is going to miss dearly.”
Acknowledged Errors
Following his opening remarks on Kiffin and Saban, Pittman would immediately, with confidence, speak on the 2023 season and how it unfolded. The ‘head hog” would say “Our expectations are as high as they’ve ever been for this season coming up. If we can take 4-20 to 9-4, we can deal with 4-8, too, and that’s what we’re going to do. I’m very excited about the Arkansas Razorbacks.” he referenced the state of the program when taking the position to their top season, at 9-4, in 2021, under him.
Just before this statement Pittman would speak on the culture of the program and how 2024 has a different feel. Pittman would say “I’m so excited about this football team and I’m excited about the talent level. Also excited about the culture, about the way these guys treat each other, the way they talk to each other, the way they go out with each other, and the way they compete against each other. Over the past four years, we have been invited to three bowl games. Two of the last three years at some point in the season we have been ranked in the top 10. I love this team. I love our coaches.”
Issues Addressed
The above errors, according to Pittman, have been “addressed” by the staff. As he closed his opening statement he would say “We have been working tirelessly to address areas we need improvement. Our players have shown remarkable resilience and commitment this off-season. We know our fans deserve a team that competes at the highest level. We’re excited to make that happen.”. Pittman would speak on this team’s motto being to “embrace the hog” and explain what it means to the program.
To the Razorbacks in the locker room and on staff, this motto is simple, as he said “Our focus is to embrace the hog, which means we need to be tough, we need to be together, we need to be consistent, accountable, and do it with pride. I think we’ve accomplished that this summer. We accomplished that through the spring ball.”. The fans of the Hogs will remind Pittman of this motto if this season starts to remind them of the 2023 campaign.
Understands His Seat Is Hot
Sam Pittman would concede to the fact that his seat is hot. When asked about this, Pittman would say “I’m hot. I’m at the top of the (hot seat) list. What’s fair is fair. If you’re gonna get patted on the back you’re gonna get punched in the gut. To be fair only 1 that controls that is me” as Arkansas’ Sam Pittman in 2021 was 1 of 6 finalists for national coach of year honors. In 2024 he enters as the hottest seat in the league that added two teams one of which being a rival in Texas. He would go on to state that he “cared about his team” over being overly concerned with his job.
For Pittman to cool the seat he will have a tough schedule, again, as he is aware of. When speaking on the daunting SEC slate, Pittman would again speak with great confidence in his program.
He would speak on the new schedule format with the cessation of division within the league. Pittman would say “I like the new schedule format. I think we’re going to be able to see every team in our stadium over four years and be able to go to every team stadium in the SEC this year at home with Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, and Texas, and away with Auburn, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and Missouri. We play seven pre-season top-25 teams. That’s how it is in the SEC. They also have to play the Arkansas Razorbacks.” he leans in the above-mentioned motto.
Rivalry Remains Strong
We would get a small glimpse into the depths of the Arkansas and Texas rivalry, in the 2021 season, when the Hogs would take down the Longhorns, in Fayetteville, 40-21, before a capacity crowd. Earlier in the week, we would hear from Steve Sarkisian, coach of Texas, on his thoughts on this yearly renewal of games. Sarkisian would make waves, on Wednesday, when he would say that Arkansas fans “hate Texas more than they like themselves.”. Just a day later, we would hear the opinion of Pittman when asked about these comments.
Pittman would, as he has always done, tell us how he feels. In response to the above comments, Pittman would make his waves in his response. Pittman would say
“Well, I will say this: We hadn’t played Texas for years and we played them a couple of years back. It was the most excited our fan base has been in a while. So I would say he’s probably right, you know. The difference is Texas is certainly a different team than what we played. That was his first year there and now obviously he’s a great coach and, a great guy. They have a wonderful football team. But I’m glad that we’re going to play them at home again. You know, I don’t know if that’s fair because they came there two years ago. But it’s an early-morning game, so — but he’s probably correct. You would have to ask the old hats of Arkansas, but he’s probably right”.
Even the end of the comment as he, in a sense, agreed with Sarkisian about his won fans. As we mentioned above, Pittman understands he has to WIN and win NOW!
Letting His Coaches Be Themselves
The college football world was set on its head when Arkansas would hire, former head coach, Bobby Petrino as its offensive coordinator. Petrino brings instant credibility to this offense and his fingerprints are all over it. After all, this is what Pittman wants for his program. In addition to Petrino, Arkansas would hire Eric Mateos to coach the offensive line. Pittman would speak on Mateos, Petrino, and his defensive staff and his perspective on allowing them to manage their respective units.
As he gleamed with pride speaking on his staff, Pittman would say “I hire people. I give my opinion. He’s the offensive coordinator, Travis is the defensive coordinator, and that’s his responsibility. Eric Mateos is the D-line coach. I am the oldest GA in the country. I’m helping him. I would want to work for me. I would want to work with me if I was an offensive coordinator because I’m going to let you go get them. Now, I’ve got any ideas and I’m going to come in and have my tape up there and go, okay, I see this, I see this, I see this. But I would think if you ask Bobby and Travis and Scott, they say he gives me the freedom to run what I think is best, and I don’t know about A&M. I don’t know. I just know we’ve given him the freedom to go score points.”.
Confidence would be the theme of the day for Pittman at the podium. With this, the Arkansas Razorback is stronger. The logo shines a little brighter.
Future Looks Bright
As we speak on bright things we have to speak on a program that, contrary to last season, has a bright future. While some may say “They finished 4-8 last season” we are aware as is Pittman. In 2023 there were times when Arkansas would show signs of continuity and play successful football. When speaking on how to take the sparks of success from 2023 and capitalize on 2024, Pittman would speak from the heart in his response “Ours is all about consistency and finishing. Again, we lost five one-score games. I think you’re going to say that — next year you’re going to say you won them or — it’s hard in this league. So I think it’s going to be consistency, better game planning, got to be able to run the football. I think we can capitalize on that.”.
With devoted attention to becoming better as a program, Arkansas has its eyes and goals set on trophies. Not only to play, in Atlanta, for a conference championship as Pitt would say “Well, but I would also like to get to the damn SEC championship game is what I would like to do, you know.” when asked about the game and if the College Football Playoff being expanded should cause this game to not be played.
He would back this up by saying “ The game has hurt the league in the past. I don’t think it — and I don’t know if that’s fair. I don’t know if Mr. Sankey would agree with me. I remember at Georgia to hurt us and this last year hurt Georgia. It’s not going to now. Obviously. Will there be some communication about that? Probably. But don’t you want to see who the conference championship — who is the winner? So I would personally hate to see that game go. I know 17 is a long season, but I do think this: I think whoever is the top seed has an opportunity to host. I think they’ve earned it throughout the year. I think that would be the best way to do that. Until you get to the bowl situation. Then we cannot cut any of the bowls out. None. Those are a way to get better and get your younger kids practicing. I don’t mean Orange, Rose, all that. I mean, Liberty, Mayo. We need to continue to keep those”.
As Pittman spoke on the upcoming 12-team playoff and how Arkansas fits into this model Pittman did not mince words by saying “Well, I think it gives you life. I do. You know, we’re all striving to get into the playoffs, including the University of Arkansas.” and based on his confidence in his program, staff, team, and his ability to lead them all Pittman wants to ‘Call Those Hogs” in the 2024 CFP.
In closing, we understand that Media Days equals “talking season” but every year you can see what coaches are truly confident in their work before attending. In the case of Sam Pittman and his Arkansas Razorbacks the “Pitt Boss” is ready to snap the ball in 2024. As a coach who has learned on the fly in Fayetteville, Pittman, in his 5th year, seems to have finally built what his image has been since he emotionally took the job.
Arkansas has the pieces on the roster to be much improved from 2023. Does this mean an undefeated season? Most likely not, but, based on Thursday in Dallas, Sam Pittman has confidence in how he corrected his mistakes, made proper changes, and looks to a bright future on “The Hill” in 2024.
