Was CBS Wrong? Razorbacks' Pittman Not Getting Much Respect

After winning nine games in 2021, as Hogs have gone in the other direction, so has coach's ranking in polls

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman walking off the field after a loss to the Auburn Tigers last November at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach Sam Pittman is getting ranked about where the Razorbacks are being picked in the new-look SEC. With Texas and Oklahoma coming into the league, that probably shouldn't be a surprise.

Not that he really cares in all probability, if he even knows about it. It's unlikely he does his own social media, much less look at what others are doing, although someone will probably point it out to him.

When CBS Sports ranked the coaches in the SEC earlier Tuesday, Pittman was ranked ahead of two others. Clark Lea at Vanderbilt was 15th and Jeff Lebby at Mississippi State was 16th. One's understandable since it's the Commodores, and the other is a first-year head coach so that's not surprising.

But, it leaves fans wondering if that's the state of the Hogs' program right now. While a lot of folks are putting their expectations, hopes and dreams into Bobby Petrino being the head coach again by December, there are an awful lot of hurdles to clear for that to happen.

Pittman knows exactly how old he is and where he's headed when he's done coaching the Razorbacks. He just wants to be the one to choose when he leaves.

In other words, he'd prefer to walk into athletics director Hunter Yurachek's office to do it instead of the other way around. Considering the way the Hogs have already had an awkward firing of Bret Bielema on the field at the Missouri game back in 2017, a repeat of that performance against Missouri probably isn't likely with Pittman.

That ranking near the bottom of a 16-team conference, though, was a little surprising. Pittman was ranked much higher when they were having big seasons and going to bowl games.

Last year's flop probably was more because of a dysfunctional bunch of players and assistants who didn't mesh.

Naturally, Kirby Smart at Georgia was at the top with Brian Kelly from LSU next. Then it got a little interesting, but finding Pittman will require a little scrolling down the page.

The Hogs will open the season against UAPB in Little Rock and the last time these two teams played it was so lopsided at halftime, everybody agreed to go by mercy rules with a running clock in the second half so folks could get home. After that will be a road game against Oklahoma State where everyone will find out a lot more — one direction or another — after that game.

HOGS FEED:

• Arkansas not as successful at recruiting state as fans like to think

• Pittman needs to stack wins to up chances with loaded in-state class

• Arkansas lands premier weekend starter out of portal

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