16 SEC Teams in 16 Days.... Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman Will Get Fired During The Season

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After a promising 9-4 season in 2022, Arkansas free fell off a cliff last season finishing a woeful 4-8. Head Coach Sam Pittman enters this season with one of the hottest seats in the SEC along with Florida Coach Billy Napier. Can he turn around the Razorbacks around to save his job?

Let's take a look at the key questions facing Arkansas in 2024.

1) Can they fix the offensive line & running game to get back to the standard of Arkansas football?

When you think of Arkansas football, the first thing that comes to mind is a physical offensive line & stout running game. And those are exactly where the Hogs struggled last season behind an awful offensive line. I NEVER thought I would see the day when Ole Miss could hold Arkansas under 40 yards rushing in a game and that happened last October. It must be a cold day in hell in other news.

To fix the offensive line, the Hogs went hard at the transfer portal. Will that be enough? Only time will tell but I have serious doubts. Their best RB Rocket Sanders left for South Carolina but they did bring in Utah transfer Ja'Quinden Jackson to boost the rushing attack. I still see more questions than answers.

2) Is Boise St Transfer QB Taylen Green good?

Three Year Starter KJ Jefferson went to Central Florida to play for Gus Malzahn. Arkansas replaced him with the 6-5 Green from Boise who is also mobile. He is leaner and quicker than KJ but can he pass? The numbers at Boise do not inspire hope. It will be up to Bobby Petrino to develop this passing game in a hurry.

3) Can the defense improve to average?

There is talent on the defensive line especially All American Cam Jackson. And they do have some depth there too. The Hogs lost their top LB Pooh Paul in the portal to Ole Miss and need some LBs to step up. The secondary lacks proven play makers but does have some options at least. 

The defense allowed at least 34 points 6 of the final 10 games in 2023. It does not take a rocket scientist to see that ain't gonna cut it in the SEC. 

4) Can Arkansas fix their special teams?

This unit was ATROCIOUS in 2023 and cost them dearly. The special teams absolutely must improve if the Hogs want to sniff a bowl game.

The problem with a coach like Sam Pittman who is an Offensive Line coach is he must have elite co-ordinators on both sides of the ball to succeed. In 2022, they had OC Kendall Briles  & DC Barry Odom who killed it year 1 at UNLV. Replacing those guys has been a problem. I do like Petrino still but DC Travis Williams has a lot to prove. 

Plus their schedule is pretty damn rough. After opening with an easy win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff the Razorbacks head to Stillwater to face top 20 Oklahoma State which is a probable loss. The Razorbacks should bounce back against UAB but then the going gets tough with a road game at Auburn then Texas A&M in Jerry World. YIKES. Both Auburn & the Aggies have OWNED Arkansas in the last decade too.

The Hogs then face Tennessee & LSU in Fayetteville and will be underdogs in both. These games are the keys to the season as they must protect their home field. Fayetteville is not the easiest place to win on the road so it is definitely possible.

There is a winnable road game in Starkville followed up with two more tough home games against Texas & Ole Miss. Arkansas finishes the season with an easy win over Louisiana Tech & a BRUTAL trip to Mizzou.

The path to a bowl game completely revolves around going at least 2-2 in those 4 SEC home games. Not likely. 

Draft Kings (#DKPartner) has Arkanas's win total set modestly at 4.5 games. Will they get to 5? 

I don't think so…… 

Predicted Record 4-8

I am making a bold prediction the Hogs start 2-4 and fire Sam Pittman on the bye week after the Tennessee game October 5th. Bobby Petrino steps in as the interim but cannot do enough down the stretch to get the Hogs bowling.

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It is going be another long season in northwest Arkansas……