Arkansas Can't Afford Another Field Storm, but Here's Who Should Pay if They Do

Cost potentially much more than big check if fined again

Arkansas Razorbacks fans celebrate in front of the downed goal posts after the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas won 19-14. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas fans had a good time last weekend.

They stormed the field following a 19-14 upset win over No. 4 Tennessee. However, it can't happen again.

The chips have been cashed in. Even if the Razorbacks take down No. 1 Texas in a few weeks, backsides have to remain in the stands.

That $250,000 fine hurt a bit. If it comes out of a generous donor's pocket, that's a quarter of a million that could have went into securing a whatever is needed across the offensive line to make sure it's solid from the first game of the 2025 season.

However, it's going to hurt more if it comes from the athletics program. There's always talk about the Razorbacks needing money and that's not always from an NIL standpoint.

There's payments of all kinds needing to be made from paying off renovations to keeping coaches' salaries competitive, and, in the case of defensive coordinator Travis Williams, the bill is probably due. Fans were certainly aware.

As soon as the game ended, half the posts were about needing to work up a new contract to lock down Williams before a team with deeper pockets sweeps in and steals the up and comer away. Between his viral rap, visuals of his energy on the sidelines each week, and the clinic he orchestrated against Tennessee, there's little doubt he's a known commodity at other programs watching their defenses struggle.

If Pittman realized the urgency behind needing to sweeten the pot to keep his star defensive coordinator in the fold, an off week would have been as good as any to take a few minutes to talk with athletics director Hunter Yurachek to see if it could happen. Pittman would be estatic if his AD simply looked at him and said he's got an extra $250,000 lying around that he can throw onto the end of what's owed to Williams this year and then added to what he would have gotten each year for the next three years.

The $100,000 Arkansas paid to storm the field against a mediocre Texas team was a price to pay that some of the old timers thought was worth it, although blowing an affordable field storming against an eventual 5-7 Longhorns team seems to be a waste in the name of nostalgia.

The quarter million Arkansas will shell out for the Tennessee storming is a solid financial setback. Should Razorbacks fans storm the field following a win over a now-legitimate UT-Austin team, the resulting $500,000 fine will be a massive blow.

Shelling out $750,000 over the span of a few weeks will greatly damage this program. Trying to remain competitive for quality assistant coaches becomes much more difficult with that kind of money leaving the program.

Regardless of what that money was tagged to do beforehand, it's got to be made up somewhere in the budget. Despite it being a cool, memorable moment, the price is getting too high.

Unfortunately, Yurachek can't put an old school electric fence up around the stadium to keep people off the field. Considering when Arkansas grandmothers put one around the vegetable garden to keep deer out, every grandson they have from age 10-17 take turns daring each other to urinate on it, it likely wouldn't do much to keep out a bunch of frat brothers from having pledges lead the literal charge.

However, there is one way to stop it dead in its tracks. It's not Bob and Ethel, who have had their seats on Row 32 for the past two decades who are flying over the railing.

The students are the ones doing it. Considering Arkansas has one of the lowest tuition rates in country, perhaps its time to let the students know if they hop the railing, then an athletics fee of $25 per student automatically kicks in going forward.

They might not think anything of the minor rate increase and deem it a small price to pay, but at least the athletics program won't take the hit for something it can do very little about. Money matters more than ever these days, so, until Arkansas' football fans begin to think of this as a major college program and not a Group of Five, this may be the best and only solution.

HOGS FEED:

• Looking at expectations for Razorbacks freshman and schedule | Inside Arkansas Podcast

• Arkansas, Oklahoma State series preview

• Halfway through season, Razorbacks better or others worse?

• Can Singleton lead Razorbacks to another game-winning drive?

• Deja vu strikes for Tennessee against Arkansas

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