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What If Arkansas Power Brokers Listened to Fans' Concerns?

Pittman, Yurachek helped bring Razorbacks out of its funk but are currently stuck at a level with no certain path to get out

Jacob Davis

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman talking with athletics director Hunter Yurachek at a spring practice inside Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark.
Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman talking with athletics director Hunter Yurachek at a spring practice inside Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Andy Hodges-allHOGS Images
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There's never a good time to tell fans when to accept mediocrity in college football. Arkansas is five years into what was considered the stability hire of Sam Pittman because no one truly wanted the job.

The coaching talent pool in 2019 was dried up and current Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin was the only 'big name' considering the Arkansas job. Once Kiffin decided to pursue a more stable opportunity with the Rebels, it took a few days to filter through names in to a decision of hiring Sam Pittman.

A group of former players sent a letter of consideration to hire Pittman to athletic director Hunter Yurachek which paid off days later when the two agreed to terms with a memorable video. The decision to bring him aboard was a shot in the dark, maybe even desperation as Arkansas was in its worst stretch of football in program history.

There was no chance that the Razorbacks program would recover from the Chad Morris era of 4-20 to hiring a first time FBS level head coach with most of his career spent as an offensive line assistant. Hiring a guy without true top dog experience in the toughest league in college football was always going to be a tough sell.

What Pittman set out to do was restore pride into being an Arkansas fan by working hard like the majority of fans. He flipped several notable 2020 recruits in a very short amount of time and signed others during the late signing period.

After taking over a team with a 20-game conference game losing streak, Pittman led Arkansas to his first SEC victory quicker than the three coaches who preceded him. He went onto win three conference games and fell just short of two more which provided much promise for the future after being in the unknown just four short months before.

Success continued when the NCAA bent eligibility rules due to COVID-19 and allowed players to profit of their name, image and likeness for the very first time. Maybe it was a curse for Pittman to have won nine games in his second season as coach since it raised expectations to a point that the program hasn't reached again three years removed.

Pittman seems to have arrived the crossroads of his tenure with the Razorbacks as he's past his mistake of hiring Dan Enos as offensive coordinator, which set the program back what seemed to be a mile. Now, with Bobby Petrino and defensive coordinator Travis Williams coaching up each side of the ball its been a roller coaster of a ride.

On one hand beating No. 4 Tennessee to start the October portion of the schedule was a great win at the time but the shine wore off rather quickly. It proved to be the exception of what has been in Razorback Stadium for much of the past two years as the other three SEC games have been lost by 10 or more points.

Continuously playing down to Group of Five competition, losing to teams as betting favorites and being throttled out of your own stadium is usually grounds for termination at year five no matter who the coach is. Anyone else who's just 2-8 in his previous 10 conference home games would be on the hottest of seats in college football but some folks close to the Arkansas program want to give Pittman a pass.

It's not like the wins have come conference juggernauts either as Auburn and Mississippi State are a combined 6-14 overall and 1-11 in SEC play. Still getting blown out at home twice in year five including one game to 6-4 LSU (should be 5-5 but SEC officiating) and another to Ole Miss (who is considered on par team talent wise) is uncalled for.

The beauty of sports, especially those at the Power Five level, is rabid fanbases who live and die play by play, game by game and day by day by each move made by their beloved program. Fans in the SEC are crazy, they embrace the fact and wouldn't have it any other way.

So what if a fan decided to spend money on a billboard to get their opinion across, it happens every day no matter the subject. If a fan decides to fly a plane over his team's stadium because they don't agree with the direction of the program doesn't make the person any less of a fan.

Social media has become a dumpster fire for fans since the early 2010's as it allows anyone with a phone, internet and an opinion to blast their hatred, excitement, or contentment of any topic. Toxic or not, things will stay the same and that's the beauty of having an opinion the world can hear.

Arkansas is at a competitive advantage for what seems to be the first time ever should its power brokers decide to make a change at its head coaching position. There's an opportunity with a stable program to be the first big domino to fall in the Power Four similar to its move to hire John Calipari away from Kentucky in April.

With so much unknown due to schools set to share revenue with its student athletes it could sway schools to not make a move this season even if its warranted. Should the Arkansas brass truly listen to its fans desires and commit to winning it'll cost much more but history shows being serious rarely happens.

HOGS FEED:

• Calipari has one opponent at Arkansas he must learn he will never defeat

• Pittman staying with Hogs; Now what? | Locked on Razorbacks

• Indications are Texas may have played with its food against Arkansas

• Razorbacks might have played role as playoff spoiler

• Does Petrino offense still work for Razorbacks? | 4th and 5

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Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

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