Sam Pittman heads into fall camp with more questions than answers

The lingering effects of the hot seat Sam Pittman inherited six years ago as head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks football program were apparent when he took the stage two weeks ago at the SEC Media Days in Atlanta.

Gone was the cool, down-home charm which disarmed those alarmed with Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek's choice to hire a first-time head coach to captain the flagship program at school he once hailed as "The Campus of Champions." Behind him are Pittman's lazy spring days along the Hot Springs lakeside drinking home brewed ale off bath house row.

Summer is once again upon us, and so is the heat which forges the fates of each annual football campaign. For the 2025 Razorbacks, it officially begins Friday with the start of fall practices, and brings a burning question Razorbackers need answered: Is the glass Pittman offers half full or a mirage?

Sam Pittman future Half Full or Half Empty?

With a pair of 7-6 seasons in 2022 and 2024 capped by Liberty Bowl victories interspersed with a 9-4 Outback Bowl season in 2021 and an 4-8 no-bowl season in 2023, Pittman's career coaching mark seems to have found his level at 30-31. In the SEC, his record is 13-21. Neither mark measures up to Yurachek's championship standard, so the heat this summer is hitting a bit different.

Sure. Those who have faith in Pittman can point out his success compared to his predecessor, Chad Morris, who couldn't win an SEC game over his two-year stint. But for those Razorback fans who bought into Yurachek's championship vision, the standards set by current offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino and his predecessor Houston Nutt are not a mirage. They are fond memories and reasonable expectations.

Pittman walked to the SEC Media Days podium like what he is: a 63-year-old lifer of his profession, coming off of hip surgery, staring into the face of the nation's toughest schedule, in the nation's toughest conference and leading a team churning with burning questions. The promising start to his head coaching career — now shimmering at a distance — drives a fan base thirsty for another taste of SEC relevancy rather mad.

Facing the Heat

Intrepid reporters from across the Southeastern Conference who stayed until the very end got a chance to ask Pittman questions and his answers sometimes left Razorback Nation wanting. Picking up on Yurachek's theme, Pittman began by pointing out the across-the-board successes of various Razorback athletic programs.

Dave Van Horn's baseball program made another College World Series and stayed ranked among the nation's best. John Calipari's basketball team over came a poor start in SEC play to make a fourth deep run into March Madness in the last five years.

Cortney Deifel's softball team was ranked No. 1 for parts of the season and made it to the cusp of the Women's College World Series. The Razorback track teams had another banner year — paced by former Razorback wide receiver Jordan Antony's historic runs in the 100 meters. Then there was the Razorback soccer team and a female golfer, Maria Marin, who won a national title.

Liberty Bowl victories in the era of a college football playoff system — where even a top four finish in the SEC may qualify — carries about as much weight as water vapor on a sand dune. The wild-eyed, out-of-the-sauna look on Pittman's face in Atlanta suggests he is feeling the heat going into camp.

After laying out the vision to start, Pittman did take the opportunity to address some of the laser beams scoped on his tie. One was the inability to secure top instate recruits, which resulted in each of the top four in-state recruits opting to go else where. Another was the decision to move away from the top rated player showing interest in the program — one with legacy ties to the program no less. This is to say nothing of the record number of players who opted to leave the program during the portal season.

"You’d have to ask each one of those kids (as to why they chose not to join the Razorbacks for this season)," Pittman said. "Here’s what it’s not because of. Because of the way they are treated. Because of the way they are developed and because of the way that they are talked to. That’s not the reason. 

"It could be playing time. It could be finances. I think the majority of it is finances, but you would have to ask those guys."

That aside, Pittman believes in the players he's pulled from the transfer portal, including one of the position hit hardest by the portal. The Wide receivers return almost no production from 2024, but the sixth-year head coach is excited about the wideouts, claiming Arkansas has eight or nine pass catchers who can play in the SEC.

Perhaps his favorite group in the WR room is the slot receivers. Some may even interpret Pittman's compliments on his current crop of slot receivers and upgrading the punt returning position as a shot at former four star Fayetteville product Isaiah Setegna.

"I love our slots. Raylen Sharpe and (indiscernible). I really like those two guys." Pittman smiled. "I think we've significantly upgraded with both of those guys."

Buck Stops Here

The time for looking backward is over. Now, Pittman's Razorbacks are focused on the daunting task at hand, but he knows exactly what's needed to cool things off and get this season off on the right footing.

And much to his credit, Pittman is taking on the responsibility with the earnestness that his supporters love him for.

"Now, how can we stop that? We can win more games. That’s what we can do," he said. "Most everything a guy brings on he brings on himself. Most of the things that come out, you earn it. 

"You may disagree with some of it and all that but I’ve earned that. I have. To get out from that, we’ve got to win more games...So I think you’ve got to look at it year-to-year. I’m not worried about it because I’ve got a good staff and a good team. So I’m not worried about it at all."