Pittman Hoping Results Help Razorbacks with In-State Recruiting

Local Hogs Key to Arkansas' winning start in SEC play with win over Auburn before playing Texas A&M

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Isaiah Sategna (6) catches a deep pass over Auburn Tigers Keionte Scott (0) as Auburn Tigers take on Arkansas Razorbacks at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas is 1-0 in SEC play and even received three votes in the AP Poll this week. Thanks to alphabetical order, they are technically atop the conference.

The 24-14 win over Auburn was in large part due to both players from the state of Arkansas and players who started their careers as a Razorback.

Junior wide receiver Isaiah Sategna climbed a defender to give the Hogs the lead back in the third quarter after Auburn made a quarterback change and tied the game. Sategna impressed Coach Sam Pittman that he made the catch although he thinks there was a pass interference penalty that was not called.

However, Pittman is most pleased by the Fayetteville High School alum's improvement from the time he stepped on campus as a freshman in 2022. Pittman said Sategna has made incremental improvements from when he arrived. Through four games, he is the team's second-leading receiver behind Andrew Armstrong.

Sategna was one of the first people who jumped out at new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino when he first got to Arkansas.

"Sategna’s speed is something that’s really shown up," Petrino said in the spring. "His ability to run with the ball and make plays, and he’s competitive. I like his competitive spirit."

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Isaiah Sategna (6) is forced out of bounds by Auburn Tigers defensive back Jerrin Thompson (1) at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Pittman is hoping that the combination of guys like Sategna who are from the area and players like Cam Ball and Eric Gregory, who have spent their entire college careers under his tutelage, will have a spillover effect in in-state recruiting.

It's an area that Pittman has struggled mightily in over the past few years but hopes to turn the corner.

"I think it does," Pittman said about recruiting. "Especially local. I call local 5-6 hour radius of our state."

The Razorbacks are hoping their in-state players and homegrown talents can put together another good performance against No. 24 Texas A&M in the final edition of the Southwest Classic at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled 2:30 p.m. Saturday from Arlington, Texas. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

HOGS FEED:

• Three storylines for Hogs against Texas A&M in Arlington

• Former A&M coach Jimbo Fisher talks how Hogs helped Saban win title

• Pittman, Elko speak on Arkansas, Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium

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