Yurachek essentially waved the white flag, but don't give up on the Hogs just yet

For those of us who somehow still harbor faith in the most unlikeliest of heroes overcoming all odds, hope remains for our man Sam Pittman as he leads the Arkansas Razorbacks into Saturday morning's Liberty Bowl-bound battle against the Memphis Tigers.

In the last installment of Arkansas Razorback football, Samwise Pittman, the Gamegee, saw his team — led by the brilliant young knight, sir Taylen Green under the tutelage of the venerable sage, Bobby Petrino — suffer yet another heart-rending defeat by a single score among the accursed Groves. 

In the first Southeastern Conference test of the 2025 fall campaign, Green distinguished himself by becoming the first Razorback player in Arkansas’ storied gridiron history to accumulate 300 yards through the air while running for over another 100 on the ground. But as previously reported by your friendly neighborhood sports guy, records are meant to be broken. Only players who achieve victories ultimately cement themselves as heroes in Arkansas lore. 

Through three battles so far this campaign, Petrino’s renowned magic has sir Taylen’s name being whispered as a darkhouse candidate for the most coveted individual prize in all the land — The Heisman Trophy. Yet as Green marched his company into position to strike a winning blow in the final minutes against Samwise’s arch nemesis, disaster struck. Green’s completed pass to Jalen Brown was stripped away and Lane Kiffin’s top 15-ranked Rebels emerged from the Grove undefeated while Razorback Nation suffered their first defeat of 2025.

While the Rebel defense found a way to stave off defeat, Arkansas’ picked up where they left off last season against Ole Miss. Kiffin’s player-poaching crew scored 63 points a year ago but had to settle for 41 in the long-awaited rematch with Razorback defensive coordinator Travis Williams a week ago.

It proved just enough for a 41-35 Rebel win, but of course, for our man Sam, it was not the first such loss as the face of Razorback Nation. It was his 18th to only seven wins in SEC contests decided by a razor’s edge. That deficit tilts the scales against our man, Sam. So when the inevitable question afterwards came from the assembled scribes reporting from the Grove, Sam threw up his hands and showed his frustration. 

However once the dust settled and our heroes regrouped on The Hill in Fayetteville, it remained clear all hope was not lost. One loss does not make or break a season in the current College Football Playoff era. The road loss to a ranked opponent with national championship expectations of their own might age well over time. Not nearly as well as a win at Ole Miss would have, but nonetheless, hope remains. 

If the once-promising Williams can somehow fortify the team’s defenses and redeem himself as defensive coordinator to go with Petrino’s offensive wizardry, the events in Oxford can be interpreted as a sign of optimism rather than pessimism. However in the whack-a-mole realm of Arkansas athletics, no one should be surprised when a potentially daunting distraction rears an ugly head. 

Right on cue, Razorback Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek inadvertently did just that as Pittman prepared his troops for a return to one of Samwise’s favorite destinations — the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. The Lady Liberty is where Pittman has won two of his four bowl victories in six years at Arkansas. However, doing his best imitation of the Steward of Gondor — Lord Denathor, Yurachek went before the Little Rock Touchdown Club in the heart of Arkansas and declared the Razorback football program was not equipped to win at the highest levels. 

Yurachek said while the Razorbacks are equipped to take on all comers in sports like basketball, baseball, softball, golf, track and field — among others, the Razorback football program was not. The question most on the minds of observers going into another Liberty Bowl trip is not whether Taylen Green can take another step by proving he is prepared for the Tigers' exotic blitz packages, but why is the steward of Arkansas athletics surrendering in the battle to fund the football program in the Name Image and Likeness era?

No doubt that declaration was welcomed by the throngs of naysayers clamoring for Sam’s removal as Razorback Nation’s standard bearer. But for those who recognize his humble-but-brave contributions in guiding the nation back from the dark abyss that was the Chad Morris, we know now is no time or place for such talk. The barbarians are at the gates and our heroes have no choice but to fight.

The Sam Pittman and Hunter Yurachek era has Arkansas back to a competitive level in the most competitive conference in America, so how are we not equipped to compete with a revenue stream ranking among the top 20 in the country and some of the wealthiest companies in America housed within our boarders?

Now is no time to throw our man Sam and company over board. It is time to gird our loins, don our armor, strap on our helmets and enter the fray once again. It is time for Yurachek to earn his keep by keeping up with Jones'.

Fortunately for our man Sam, there is a light ahead in Lady Liberty. She sits just across the waters of the Mighty Mississippi on the shores of enemy territory in Tennessee. It’s always difficult to see the fate of a standard bearer in such dark times, but all the faithful can ever do is wish our man Sam good fortune in the battles to come.

You all know the refrain. “Fare thee well Samwise Gamegee. I give you the Light of Liberty — the most beloved star along the banks of the Mighty Mississippi. May it be a light to you in dark places when all other lights go out.”

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