These are the lingering effects of the hot seat Sam Pittman inherited six years ago as head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. It’s funny that it was apparent when he took the stage two weeks ago at the SEC Media Days too. Gone was the cool, collected charm which disarmed skeptics. These were the people alarmed with AD Hunter Yurachek’s choice to hire a first-time coach to captain the flagship program at a school he once hailed as “The Campus of Champions.” Behind him are Pittman’s lazy spring days along the Hot Springs, lakeside drinking home brewed ale off bath house row.
And in front of him? The SEC’s deepest waters, where half his opponents in 2025 just surfaced in the preseason Coaches Poll. Arkansas? Nowhere in the top 25. Not even close. Topped by Texas. LSU, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee. All firmly entrenched. Arkansas is treading water with 14 lonely votes under “Others receiving votes.” It’s the kind of preseason reality check that shakes an entire program.
Sam Pittman walks into his sixth season carrying a career record of 30-31, with a 13-21 mark in SEC play. For context, that’s two 7-6 finishes in 2022 and 2024. Both capped by Liberty Bowl wins. This is sandwiching a high-water 9-4 Outback Bowl season in 2021 and a flat-tire 4-8 campaign in 2023 that brought no postseason. He’s now averaging five wins per season in conference play, and that simply doesn’t match the gold standard Yurachek keeps selling in Fayetteville.
Sure, there are fans who appreciate how far the program’s come from the Chad Morris years when the Hogs couldn’t buy a win in the SEC. But others still remember the Bobby Petrino era and the consistency of Houston Nutt. They don’t want flashbacks. They want revival. The numbers, though, aren’t the only thing turning up the temperature under Pittman’s seat.
BREAKING: College Football Preseason Coaches Pollhttps://t.co/UOHDaVDFxk pic.twitter.com/ouboz88vXu
— On3 (@On3sports) August 4, 2025
He walked to the podium in Atlanta: a 63-year-old veteran of the profession, fresh off hip surgery, staring down the toughest schedule in the nation’s nastiest conference. And that’s before you even get to the questions swirling inside the locker room. Sam Pittman was hit squarely with one of those at SEC Media Days. He was asked why Arkansas failed to land any of the state’s top four high school prospects, all of whom decided to head elsewhere. “You’d have to ask each one of those kids (as to why they chose not to join the Razorbacks for this season),” Pittman said. “Here’s what it’s not because of. Because of the way they are treated. Because of the way they are developed and because of the way that they are talked to. That’s not the reason. It could be playing time. It could be finances. I think the majority of it is finances, but you would have to ask those guys.”
It’s not just about the misses , it’s also about the exits. Arkansas saw a record number of players hit the portal this offseason, creating depth issues across the board. Add to that the eyebrow-raising decision to move away from a top-rated recruit who not only showed interest but had legacy ties to the program, and you begin to see the cracks forming in the foundation. That kind of attrition is more than unfortunate. It’s radioactive.
What’s worse is that Bobby Petrino is back in town. This time as the OC, carrying his usual swagger. His presence evokes memories of high-octane offenses and national rankings. If the offense sputters, Pittman risks becoming a supporting character in Petrino’s redemption arc. Which is a tricky spot to be in.
Sam Pittman still thinks he has the depth
Sam Pittman knows the chatter is loud. But when it comes to his 2025 Arkansas roster? He’s not sweating it. In fact, he likes what he sees. “I really do (feel good about depth),” Pittman said recently. “I think there’s a difference in what the public may know, what y’all may know at times, and what we know. So, I really do like our depth.”
For the first time in a long time, Pittman doesn’t feel like he’s walking into a gunfight with a butter knife. The Razorbacks, through aggressive portal hunting and targeted recruiting, have bulked up in a big way. “I think we’ve had more depth than I’ve had since I’ve been here. Therefore, when you have more depth, you have more competition,” Pittman said. That’s not coach-speak. It’s survival instinct in a league where depth isn’t luxury, it’s currency.
Arkansas brought in more than 30 transfers this offseason, leaning into positional versatility and sheer size. And Pittman’s loving the view. “I really like this team. I like the talent, I like the speed. For one of the few times, we’ve got a big football team at every position. We’re big. Certainly to survive in this league, you have to have some stature, some size to you.” And perhaps most importantly? “It makes you feel better,” Pittman said. “You’re not going ‘Oh man, if so and so gets a hurt toe, we’re dead in the water.’” The razorbacks will need all the help they can get as they haven’t posted a winning record in SEC play since the 2015 season.
The post Sam Pittman’s Seat Gets Hotter in 2025 as Half of Arkansas’ Opponents Make Preseason Coaches Poll appeared first on EssentiallySports.