All Hogs

Pittman's Performance in Alabama Alongside Saban, Smart Big for Razorbacks' Future

Pittman learned what not to do at these events from Bret Bielema

Kent Smith

In this story:

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama coach Nick Saban opened the show, Georgia coach Kirby Smart closed it down, and Arkansas coach Sam Pittman handled the hour-long primetime slot sandwiched in the middle at opening night of the Alabama Football Coaches Association convention Thursday.

With over 50 recruits expected to visit Fayetteville this weekend in what will be the Razorbacks' last chance to host recruits until March, no one would have blamed Pittman had he stayed home taste-testing barbecue and making sure everything looked extra bright and shiny for when the recruits hit campus.

However, Thursday night, just hours before a lot of the recruits and their families start popping into their hotels for the weekend, Pittman was spending an hour in a ballroom at the Embassy Suites in downtown Montgomery teaching over 700 Alabama high school football coaches how to coach blocking. 

Quite literally. He had people come up while he physically demonstrated proper form and technique.

That Pittman is respected enough in Alabama to receive a prime featured speaking spot alongside two coaches who have claimed the last three national championships and four of the last six speaks well of how Pittman is viewed in the coaching ranks.

Of course, there were probably a lot of familiar faces from his time on the recruiting trail over at Georgia under Smart. 

The current make-up of his newly restructured coaching staff indicates an emphasis on recruiting the far Southeast of the country in Alabama, Georgia and Florida, from which key players such as Denver Kirkland and Alex Collins were lured during Pittman's most successful time coaching with Bret Bielema. 

Because of this, taking time to further relationships with coaches in the area while getting a little extra shine from Smart and Saban can go a long way in shaping future success at Arkansas.

Photos like this go a long way in adding credibility.

It should also be noted that no one from either Mississippi school, LSU or Texas A&M spoke at the event. That means if any of those coaches have a player who wants to spread his wings and get out of Alabama, but still play in the SEC West, Pittman will be top of mind. 

Pittman's speech could be especially important in regard to Leeds, Alabama 4-star edge rusher Kavion Henderson. The Class of 2024 commit will be on the hill this weekend and appears to be solid on his commitment.

However, if he begins to waiver at any point, having coaches from his school in the room seeing first hand how Pittman coaches his linemen and feeling his energy make it more likely they will reassure him that he's in good hands at Arkansas.

That's because when it comes to recruiting, relationships with high school coaches matter. Sitting under the learning tree with a guy for an hour goes a long way.

While Pittman doesn't directly coach defensive linemen, being able to tell a player he's going to go against the best trained offensive linemen in the country while preparing for the NFL because you saw the man's brilliance confirmed in person and possibly stole a quick minute to pick his brain can do a lot to ease a recruit's mind.

There is little doubt that Pittman was at his best. Photos and comments from the event suggest he fit in about as well as a glass of sweet iced tea at a local catfish house.

After all, Pittman was working for Bielema when the Arkansas head coach went into a Texas high school coaching clinic and essentially talked his way right out of possibly the most important recruiting ground the Razorbacks have.

In an expletive laden rant, Bielema told a room full of coaches, almost all of whom ran high profile passing attacks, that if they don't utilize a fullback or if they try to throw the ball 70 times per game, then he's going to kick their, um, backsides, every time.

College coaches in Texas, including Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury, whose Patrick Mahommes led Red Raiders took down the Razorbacks in Fayetteville a few months after the clinic, used it against Arkansas whenever they could – especially if there was a microphone at hand.

“I’m the son of a Texas high school coach," Kingsbury said during a press conference. “Texas high school coaches, probably 90% of them run the spread offense, so to walk in there and say that ... it definitely rubbed me the wrong way.” 

Pittman's a technique, schemes, x's and o's kind of guy, especially when it comes to blocking. He was in his best element on Thursday. 

Regardless of how Saturday goes, Thursday night's talk might be the most impactful thing Pittman does in regard to the long term success of his program.

Arkansas divider

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Arkansas divider

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Kent Smith
KENT SMITH

Kent Smith has been in the world of media and film for nearly 30 years. From Nolan Richardson's final seasons, former Razorback quarterback Clint Stoerner trying to throw to anyone and anything in the blazing heat of Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls, the first high school and college games after 9/11, to Troy Aikman's retirement and Alex Rodriguez's signing of his quarter billion dollar contract, Smith has been there to report on some of the region's biggest moments.