Why Pittman Deserves Pass for Dealing with Learning Curve

Circumstances put Arkansas coach on same level as everybody else less than 60 days after he became head coach

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman at Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 1, 2022. / Michael Morrison-Hogs On SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Considering Sam Pittman had never been a head coach for several decades before he got the Arkansas job, he was going to have to figure out some things. However, nobody knew he was going to have to figure out nearly everything in such a short time.

In addition to being hired roughly a week before early signing day, Pittman had to deal with a pandemic after only a couple of months into the job. He's not the same coach he was, but then again, everything about the job has changed since he took over, including the way he thinks during games.

"We got a lot time to answer that question," Pittman said at his initial fall camp press conference Tuesday afternoon. "We learn all the time. I go back to some of the decisions. I’m just going to let my mind and my eyes see what I see and go from there. The one thing about it is if you’re always worried about ‘what if something happens wrong with what you decide,’ then you’ll never take a chance."

In other words, analytics is all fine and good, but he's going to go with his gut feeling. Football history is full of legendary plays being called on gut feelings and working. The ones that don't work really aren't remembered for long.

"Be positive in the preparation, understand where we’re going to go if we decided to do something," Pittman said. "If we decide to go for it, understand where we’re going."

The headsets during a football game these days sounds like a sub-committee meeting in Congress. There's a lot of voices coming at once and sometimes everybody has a different idea.

Apparently Pittman is the one with the final veto or approval authority on big decisions. That probably isn't going to change with new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino upstairs calling plays.

"Are we confident?" Pittman asked. "If I hear a doubt of confidence on the headset, just say, ‘Okay, let’s punt the ball or kick the field goal,’ whatever it may be."

That's probably because a big part of gutsy decisions is everybody else being confident the whole thing will work. Having a staff he appears to be more confident and comfortable with at this point may be a big part of that.

Petrino helping on those decisions certainly is a bigger part of it. Some folks could view it as having a fall guy, but it's actually having somebody with a track record of success helping with those decisions and the Great Playcaller has his record of being successful taking chances.

"Not just the football staff, but the overall staff and the importance of all what they do," Pittman said. "I have a better grasp of NIL than I had before and handling that better. There’s a lot of stressors in our job. You’ve got them, too. Trying to eliminate as much stress helps you make better decisions. I feel really good. I feel good about where we’re at. I feel good about the staff."

Considering they haven't played a single game, that's one positive sign. Exactly what that means around November isn't known right now.

Too many losses tends to change everybody's attitude. At least Pittman's got the experience to just roll with the the punches.

Part of getting into the ring is knowing punches will be taken because everything isn't going to work. That goes for the greatest in the history of the game.

"I’m still going to make mistakes," Pittman said. "In other words, you’re going to make a decision that’s going to turn out and not be the correct one. I have more patience than I used to have. I’m not as much of a dictator as I used to be. I’ve learned a little bit that way. Hope so."

When he was hired as a first-year coach, it was obvious it would take a few years to figure things out. That was before the pandemic stuff changed everything, much less free agency for players who were going to be paid like professional athletes above the table.

Cut Sam some slack. It was unrealistic to expect him to know everything coming in.

He's learning on the job because no matter how much he learned for over 30 years from some greatest football minds. None of them taught him everything they knew.

HOGS FEED:

• Junior quarterback high on Arkansas after weekend visit

• Pittman looking to have Razorbacks more physical this year

• Landon Jackson development reason Top-100 prospect likes Hogs

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