Pittman is sure of his Hogs even if the supporters aren’t
No coach has ever won a football game at SEC Media Days, but Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman certainly won the day with his humor, class, and up-front honesty in a gaggle of media appearances on Thursday. The Razorbacks’ head coach isn’t going into the upcoming season with blinders on. He knows he is coaching for his job and the jobs of his assistants and staff members this season.
If Pittman is anything, he is self-aware. And that forthrightness allowed him to have a little fun with the situation when his job security came under doubt. He grinned widely and said, “I’m hot,” alluding to his position as the “hot seat” in the workplace. Pittman is aware of the predicament he and his staff found themselves in after their 4-8 season, but he has no intention of leaving for an early retirement in his beloved Hot Springs.
Pittman clearly has the intention of not only finishing out this season strong, but remaining as the Razorbacks’ head coach for the foreseeable future. Hiring Bobby Petrino as his offensive coordinator wasn’t an exit strategy, as some have supposed. If the Razorbacks win enough this season, Pittman plans to be back for next year’s SEC Media Days in Atlanta. And you can tell that Pittman feels good about his chances of winning this season. He did not arrive at SEC Media Days on the defensive. He was there “Embracing the Hog” and charming reporters and commentators left and right with his outgoing, good-ol’-boy nature.
It is unlikely that Petrino will be promoted to head coach if the Razorbacks don’t win enough games to keep Pittman on the job. Those of us who were around for the Danny Ford era of Razorback football (1993–1997) are aware of how well that musical chairs between Joe Kines and Ford turned out.
