Arkansas Football coach Sam Pittman has reportedly changed agents and will now be represented by one of the most powerful agents in all of college football, according to a report from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
His new agent, according to the report, is Memphis-based sports agent Jimmy Sexton, who famously represents some of the most well-paid coaches in college football: Alabama coach Nick Saban, Penn State coach James Franklin, Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher and plenty more.
The head coach of the Razorbacks lead Arkansas to one of its best finishes in recent memory, finishing the 2021 regular season with a record of 8-4.
Should Arkansas Football fans be worried about Sam Pittman changing agents?
With a successful season, tons of momentum and being in the midst of one of the most chaotic college coaching carousels in recent memory, Pittman could be looking to cash in for a big contract extension.
Sam Pittman’s new agent, Jimmy Sexton, has successfully negotiated big-time raises for clients James Franklin and Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin in recent weeks.
Franklin received a 10-year, $75 million extension to remain the coach of the Nittany Lions, per CBS Sports. Kiffin agreed to a similar deal, according to reports. We haven’t seen the exact details of Kiffin’s contract, but reports put it at around $7.5 million annually.
Some fans are surprised that Pittman moved on from his previous agent, Judy Henry. Reports say she was instrumental in helping Pittman land the gig at Arkansas.
When Pittman was initially hired, he said it wasn’t about the money and that this was a dream job. Hiring a new agent seems counter intuitive to previous statements and actions.
By the same token, Pittman seems under-paid commensurate with other SEC coaches. He is the 12th-highest paid coach out of 13 teams who’s contracts are available via Freedom of Information Act.
Pittman deserves to be paid more based on the success he’s had in the short time he’s been in Fayetteville.
This is probably nothing more than wanting to get a bigger pool of money to pay his assistants and ensure they are taken care of not bolting for greener pastures.