FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) – Coach Sam Pittman has exorcised the specter of Chad
Morris from the memories of the Razorbacks’ faithful. Five years later, though,
Arkansas is looking for more than simple decency.
The Razorbacks have qualified for bowl games in four of Pittman’s five seasons
at the helm, a job he took over in 2020 after Arkansas went winless in
Southeastern Conference play during the two seasons under Morris.
Pittman has now had two losing seasons in the past five to go along with two
.500 finishes. That mediocrity has fans and the brass itching for more. With a
30-31 record over five seasons, Pittman’s job is considered one of the most
tenuous in college football.
Pittman is hopeful. After all, four of the team’s six losses last season came
by 10 points or fewer, and three of those four defeats came after Arkansas
carried a lead into the fourth quarter.
“We’ve got a good football team,” he said. “We’ve got a good staff. We’ve got
great facilities. We got a great state of fans at the University of Arkansas,
the state of Arkansas. There’s no reason we can’t do it.”
Whether his optimism turns into reality hinges largely on the incorporation of
a slew of new players. Quarterback Taylen Green provides some stability, but on
offense alone the Razorbacks are likely to start six players who arrived via the
transfer portal.
“We’re trying to continue to build confidence in the quarterback with
whomever,” Pittman said. “We’re adding into that which is really going to help
us and keep fresh guys on the field that have confidence and it’s important we
have confidence in them.”
Petrino’s magic
Arkansas finished second in the SEC and 10th in FBS in total offense last
season, its first season with Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator. Pittman
believes the Razorbacks can improve because of Petrino.
“As you go back, look statistically, when he’s in his second year somewhere,
they go through the roof,” Pittman said.
Mean Green
Green finished fifth in the SEC with 3,154 yards passing last season and was
fourth in the conference in yards rushing by a quarterback with 602. The catch
is that Green’s quarterback rating placed him in the bottom quarter among SEC
starters and his 15-to-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio put him among just four
starters who failed to have a two-to-one such ratio.
Defensive stars
Arkansas returns eight returning starters on defense. Linebacker Xavian Sorey
is back after a 99-tackle season and defensive tackle Cam Ball was named
preseason third-team All-SEC as he enters his third year as a starter.
New targets
Most of Green’s receivers are gone; Arkansas will break in six players from the
portal at that position. Projected starting tight end Rohan Jones didn’t play
for the Razorbacks last year, either.
Pittman likes the talent on the roster. “I believe we have a really good wide receiver core,” he said. “We’re big, have
length. Now we finally have two tight ends that you can throw 12 package out
there and you can throw the ball to either one of them and run the ball.”
Schedule
Things aren’t much, if any, easier in 2025. Besides the usual difficulty of the
SEC slate, which includes trips to No. 24 Tennessee, No. 9 LSU and No. 1 Texas,
Arkansas plays Memphis on the road in Week 4 and hosts No. 6 Notre Dame the
following week. They have a first-time matchup with Arkansas State in Little
Rock on Sept. 6.
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