It's insane how quickly things change in the sports world. In 2021-22, Arkansas athletics was on top of the world. Football had its best season since Bobby Petrino was head coach. Basketball made its second straight Elite Eight. Baseball made it to the College World Series. Two years later, basketball failed to make the tournament, baseball had an anticlimactic Fayetteville regional, and Sam Pittman is on the hottest of hot seats in the SEC.
In particular, Sam Pittman made two huge mistakes that really turned up the dial. First, hiring Dan Enos felt like a "comfort hire" from the beginning, especially with how quickly it happened after Kendall Briles left. Arkansas wasn't built for an Enos offense, so it was like forcing a square block into a triangle hole.
Second, he kept Cody Kennedy for way too long. The offensive line became an embarrassment, which was a huge slap to the face to Pittman. Kennedy failed to bring in a blue-chip recruit since 2021. That in and of itself is unacceptable with who the head coach is. Players like Beaux Limmer and Brady Latham seemed to regress over time, especially in 2023-24. Last season, the line looked lost half the time. You could blame Enos' offense, but Kennedy never made an effective adjustment.
Add in some questionable game decisions, and that's why Pittman is in the hot seat. According to On3, he has the most pressure of any head coach in the SEC. Jesse Simonton of On3 Sports wrote this about Pittman's situation:
"Two years ago, Sam Pittman was riding high and among the most popular figures in Arkansas, but since the Hogs’ surprising 9-4 season in 2021, they’ve gone 11-14 (with nine losses in one-score games). The roster continues to turnover with little stability, and more staff changes took place this offseason, too.
Arkansas brought in former head coach Bobby Petrino to be Pittman’s newest OC — and potential replacement. Unlike most on this list, Pittman is a real hot-seat candidate, and barring an unexpected bowl season (or better), he’s unlikely to be on the sidelines in 2025."
2024 SEC Head Coach Pressure Rankings via @JesseReSimonton🔥https://t.co/rTvOCIsTJu pic.twitter.com/x1xJMdO1mt
— On3 (@On3sports) July 1, 2024
The only argument against Pittman being at No. 1 would be Billy Napier's situation. But unlike Pittman's downward trend, Napier never really getting off the ground at Florida, giving him the benefit of a doubt. There is no question about Pittman's performance.
The pressure is indeed high for the fifth-year head coach. And the fact that Pittman has a constant reminder of his fragile job security in every practice and meeting with offensive coordinator Booby Petrino next to him has to add even more.