Time for Pittman to End Next Personal Curse, Lock Jefferson in Past for Good

With losing streak to Freeze put to bed, Hogs coach looks to over come infamous turnover that haunts his career

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman arrives at Jordan-Hare Stadium for Saturday's game against the Auburn Tigers / Craven Whitlow-Hogs on SI Images

DALLAS — In 2021, Arkansas coach Sam Pittman restored what was possible for the Razorbacks football program by collecting all of the rivalry game trophies and adding the Capital One Bowl trophy on top with a win over Penn State in addition to a regular season win over Texas.

Two years later, the quest is no longer to restore what is possible for the program, but for himself as a coach. The good news is his Hogs are one mistake away from being 4-0 and head coach of a Top 20 team. He exorcised the curse of Hugh Freeze, which is a bigger deal than some think no matter how ugly the win appeared to be.

Now he returns to the scene of where things turned negative for the program. The slow spiral of the Razorbacks and dent in Pittman's reputation as a lovable overachiever began with a single ill-advised dive at AT&T Stadium by former Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson. 

When the ball popped up, turning the death knell in Texas A&M's day into college football's defensive return of the year, it sent an Arkansas team that was leading into the locker reacting as if it was losing and two years later that feeling has never gone away 

Just look at this season. As stated before, the Hogs are a single play from being 4-0 and technically in playoff contention heading into a winnable game against an Aggies team that struggled with Bowling Green in College Station last week.

On paper, there is good reason for optimism. However, in talking with Razorbacks fans, the perception of the team is more of a 1-3 team rather than one that is 3-1 and technically undefeated in SEC play.

For the record, the last Arkansas coach not named Sam Pittman was Bobby Petrino when his Razorbacks took down Georgia in 2010. Not only is Pittman the only coach to do it, he has now done it three out of his five seasons.

That's quite the feather in his cap considering the Hogs were 0-20 in the SEC when he finally broke the losing streak in 2020. If Pittman can get enough out of his kicking game to build a little confidence and Petrino can develop consistency in Taylen Green at quarterback, there is room for Pittman to stack several personal trophies this year.

It started at Auburn. Now he just needs his offensive line to hold up against what may be the most violent defensive line in the SEC to get the next big monkey off his back.

Jefferson is gone into Razorbacks history. If Pittman can finally put his leap in the past with him, this team might finally be seen as a winner.

HOGS FEED:

• Pittman knows who would win spelling bee

• Razorbacks lose what was key running back 'indefinitely'

• It's time to put Auburn game in rear view mirror, look ahead to Texas A&M

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