All Hogs

Which SEC Coach Under Most Pressure to Perform in 2024?

Razorbacks will have to defy a few odds in order to exceed expectations this fall and maybe cool off Pittman's seat

Jacob Davis

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman looks at scoreboard against Mississippi State on Oct. 21, 2023, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark.
Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman looks at scoreboard against Mississippi State on Oct. 21, 2023, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The pressure for Arkansas coach Sam Pittman to win this fall is tremendous. After a disappointing 4-8 season in 2023, his hot-seat status will be talked about often this summer and into the season.

Pittman comes in at No. 1 on the SEC head coach Pressure Rankings, according to Jesse Simonton of On3. This is a pivotal season for the Razorbacks in Year 5 of a tenure that's seen a fair share of ups and downs.

Arkansas, like all of college football, is three seasons removed from the disastrous 2020 COVID year. Everyone had limitations in recruiting, but a lot of first-year head coaches were behind the eight ball.

The group of new head coaches from that 2020 class include Pittman, Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin and Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz — we all miss you Mike Leach. Seeing the Rebels' and Tigers' trajectory skyrocket in the same time period has caused impatience amongst Razorbacks' fans.

This season is critical for the health of Arkansas' program moving forward. Never say never when it comes to UAPB on opening day of football season in Little Rock — memories of The Citadel sit in the back of everyone's mind, although that team was highly-ranked at the lower classification. The Golden Lions aren't.

If there's a possibility to steal a win from preseason Top 25 Oklahoma State on the road, then talk of a rebound season in the works can be spoken. There's not a lot of Kool-Aid to drink around these parts which is a sad truth.

Excitement for an upcoming season is gone now that it feels more like a chore to which most subject themselves. Since 2012, there have been visible peaks in each tenure including Chad Morris' monumental Colorado State victory, Club Dub!

It seems like Pittman's tenure peaked very early with no proof of a return to 2021 status. After a 3-0 start in 2022 it appeared Arkansas would make another positive jump in the right direction.

However, a 'superman leap' against Texas A&M from the 4-yard line ended in a fumble of not only the football, but team confidence. Swagger of a 9-win season evaporated in moments and never recovered.

Shellshocked is the best way to describe Arkansas' sideline after squandering opportunity. The Razorbacks were 15-11 since 2020 going into that game against Texas A&M, but since the loss the program is 8-14 overall (3-12) in the SEC.

Since Pittman took the reins at Arkansas in 2020, his team has been in 20 one-possession contests. In those games, Arkansas is 6-14 and went 1-5 in such games a season ago.

Plenty of key players return which means it is too early to write this Hogs' team off just yet. One wrong move can send this group on a tailspin, but a road win in Week 2 over the Cowboys against intense pressure can make everything right again for a week.

HOGS FEED:

• Getting Arkansas players really important for different reason

• Get ready for tidal wave hitting Hogs on losing players in state

• WATCH: 2021 win over Texas gets fresh look; What's with Hogs' long home losing streaks?

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Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

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