Can History Repeat Itself for Razorbacks from Broyles Days?

Other coaches have been in trouble before over the last several decades getting wins and now Sam Pittman may want to see how they dug out.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There are no absolutes in college football when it comes to having a turnaround season. Former Arkansas legend Frank Broyles said "a good coach wins in Year 2." That did happen, but it’s going to need to happen again in Year 5.

Here’s the conundrum: Sam Pittman isn’t winning at the rate he was through the first 24 games of his tenure. A comeback win over Missouri State and failed Superman leap from the 4-yard line is something the Razorbacks haven’t recovered from. The pendulum of feeling great about the future has swung the opposite direction toward apathy.

Broyles was sour when it came to losing and the downward trajectory of a program. He took winning seriously. That doesn’t seem to be the case, at least for now. 

Look at the basketball team from 1996-02. Richardson’s decline made it easy for Broyles to make a decision and buyout the national championship winning coach’s contract.

Winning cures everything, and when Danny Ford was let go in favor of Houston Nutt in 1998, Arkansas immediately started winning again. But, two losing seasons in 2004 and 2005 almost cost him his job. Nutt had to hire high school coaching phenom, Gus Malzahn, as offensive coordinator to go along with a generational talent like Darren McFadden and a solid defense.

While the experiment led to 10-wins and an SEC West title, it didn’t work out. But, it bought Nutt an extra two years, 2006-07. That set the foundation for Bobby Petrino to elevate the program to heights never seen in the SEC before.

There’s are similarities between 2006 and 2024. There’s a few weapons at the offensive skill positions, a big-time hire at offensive coordinator and bigger offensive linemen are being pulled in through the transfer portal to be more competitive. An improved defense in 2023 was the highlight of the season similar to 2004.

There was hot seat talk not just among the Razorback fans, but some in the media were surprised Pittman was given another year to right the ship. All he can do is coach his team to victory. 

The biggest game comes early in Week 2 as Arkansas travels to Stillwater to take on Oklahoma State, Sept. 7. The game against the Cowboys could be one that defines the Razorback season before it really gets started while showing how closely 2024 really mirrors that emotional roller coaster of a season late in Nutt's tenure.

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