The Best and Worst From the Arkansas Razorbacks 2015 Season

#4 Worst: Sam Pittman Leaving for UGA

It’s never easy losing a coach. It’s even harder when that coach helped build the most lauded and decorated unit of your team. When Sam Pittman came to Arkansas with Jim Cheney, Hog fans were justifiably excited. Pittman has a well earned reputation as a great recruiter of lineman, and a great coach as well. It shows in what the Hogs have in the trenches. In 2015, the Razorbacks offensive line had an All-American and a couple All-SEC honorees on it.

Sep 26, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Denver Kirkland (55) in action against the Texas A&M Aggies at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The loss of Pittman as a coach and recruiter sucks, but it’s not why he made this list. Coaches come and go. It’s part of the game. The reason he made the list is because of the timing, and the circumstances that surrounded his departure.

When it became public that Pittman would be joining his BFF Cheney in Athens, most people just thought it was a good hire and moved on. Then the reports about HOW he left began to surface. Not only did Pittman leave for another SEC job, but he apparently did not even address the players before leaving. He also reportedly told Bret Bielema that a non-compete clause in his contract was unnecessary, a move which now, if true, appears to be calculated.

With Pittman leaving during such an important time of the year for recruiting, he has put the screws to Bielema to find a quality replacement that can finish off the class with a strong showing. Pittman is a good coach and recruiter, but he isn’t irreplaceable. Bielema has a solid track record in finding coaches, so Hog fans shouldn’t be too concerned yet.

#4 Best: The Ole Miss Game

I think I’ve watched the highlights of this game at least once a week since it happened. In fact, how about I post them here so we can all take a break and watch it together?

I swear, you guys, this is one of, if not my #1, favorite game of all time. (Remember, I’m only 29.) Arkansas vs Ole Miss has had more than a couple classic games, but this one takes the cake. Where do we start with this game?

How about with Brandon Allen throwing for 442 yards, 6 touchdowns, and no interceptions? This was his true coming out party as THE BEST DAMN QB IN THE SEC. Throwing for lots of yards against Auburn was super easy this year, but doing it against the mighty LandBearSharkRebels? A career game for Allen.

Alex Collins added 108 yards on the ground, keeping the attack as balanced as possible when a QB is gunslinging the way Allen was. Drew Morgan had 122 yards and 3 touchdowns, Dominique Reed had a coming out party of his own with 105 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns on the night, and Jared Cornelius returned to the field and scored a 30 yards touchdown of his own.

Defense may win championships, but offense creates memories. And I will never forget the guts it took for Brandon Allen to dive headfirst into the endzone on a two point conversion on the road in overtime. Or the guts it took for Bret Bielema to call that play in the first place. The Auburn win woke up the Razorbacks offense, and the Ole Miss game gave it a Red Bull. They took that momentum into Baton Rouge and kitty-slapped the Tigers on their way to a 4 game win streak.

Next: A Bad Beginning and an Amazing End