Pittman Finally Gets Chance to Cash in on Dazmin James' Big Game

Liberty Bowl performance that led to departure may now be blessing in disguise for Hogs
Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Dazmin James (83) runs after a catch during the second quarter against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Dazmin James (83) runs after a catch during the second quarter against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Razorbacks may get some post-Liberty Bowl value out of wide receiver Dazmin James after all.

Of course, everyone knows by now the famous saga of James and the three catches. A literal unknown wide receiver for the Hogs went out and caught three passes against one of the worst pass defenses in all of college football, one of which went for a school record long touchdown, and went about his merry way into the world looking to flip those three receptions into cold, hard cash, eventually landing with Cal.

Now, a lot of fans got ruffled that head coach Sam Pittman opted to let a receiver three coordinators watched practice without so much as a thought of putting him on the field walk because they thought there was unforeseen value in him. However, there is now a true opportunity to cash in on the James legacy at Arkansas.

See, at the moment, there is a proposal that has been put forth at the coaches meetings this week to move to a single transfer portal window that will happen over 10 days in early January. It has massive support and is expected to make its way through with little resistance.

What this does is increase the odds players will stick around to experience bowl games, which hasn't been common practice in the Arkansas program. Winning the games has become a tradition of late, but it's been done with almost an entirely new team.

So, now Pittman gets to rebrand the college bowl experience as the transfer portal exhibition extravaganza. Players who want to leave get all kinds of incentive to step up and really show out for the Hogs in bowl season.

Those who are reluctant need only about 20 seconds with Pittman, which is all it would take to play the three catches James made with a quick reminder afterward that someone who couldn't get off the bench became a coveted player in the portal.

For years bowl games have meant money for the teams. Now they finally mean money for the players.

Guys know in early November whether they want to transfer out. This gives them the opportunity to put in roughly a month of preparation into a glorified tryout.

They get to study whichever player they're going to go up against, make sure they're all healed up to put forth their best effort, and they are alone in the national spotlight for all those tampering coaches to watch as the next James lights up the highlight reel. It's the true pull yourself up by the bootstraps story steeped in the capitalism of Americana.

Players will get to grab their bowl swag and hopefully earn an extra bag of cash. As for Pittman, it gets a little easier for him to snag a little extra cash in his pocket with another win as well, just without the headache of trying to get ready for a game while also attempting to keep enough players to field a team and putting together next season's team.

It's an opportunity for Pittman to finally say he is doing exactly what Razorbacks fans demanded he do — capitalize on James' performance as a Razorback.
All three catches worth.

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Kent Smith
KENT SMITH

Kent Smith has been in the world of media and film for nearly 30 years. From Nolan Richardson's final seasons, former Razorback quarterback Clint Stoerner trying to throw to anyone and anything in the blazing heat of Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls, the first high school and college games after 9/11, to Troy Aikman's retirement and Alex Rodriguez's signing of his quarter billion dollar contract, Smith has been there to report on some of the region's biggest moments.