Three reasons Arkansas football won't have success in 2024

The locker room 

There’s been one consistent theme with Sam Pittman‘s teams. When tough times come, the locker room turns sour.

In 2022, the team all but fell apart after KJ Jefferson’s Superman dive against Texas A&M led to an 82-yard scope-and-score for the Aggies. It was the beginning of a three-game losing streak against Texas A&M, Alabama, and Mississippi State that moved the Razorbacks to 3-3. The Hogs couldn't break out of the funk from that fateful play and ended up with a disappointing 7-6 season after finishing 9-4 the year prior.

In 2023, the same phenomenon happened in the game against BYU. Arkansas started up by two touchdowns but threw in the towel in the second half at the first sign of adversity. It's hard to stay in the game as a defense when the offense goes cold three and a half minutes into the third quarter, but nearly impossible when your offense/special teams give your opponent an average starting position on your 49-yard line.

It became clear that a divide was happening in the locker room, and the number of key players that transferred in 2022 and 2023 proves it. Whether based on NIL or other petty squabbles among the players, Pittman needs to nip the locker room troubles in the bud as soon as they show their ugly heads to have success this season. But unfortunately, history does have a way of repeating itself.