The firing of Sam Pittman is not only a new era for Arkansas football, but it’s a new Razorback era in a new era of college sports.
This coaching search will be Arkansas’ first in football since the NIL/transfer portal era has been in full effect. That means whoever the next Head Hog is must not only acknowledge this is the reality of the era, but also embrace it and use it to the program’s advantage.
Obviously, development and recruiting and all the traditional requirements of being a head coach are still relevant. Pittman would very likely still be Arkansas’ coach if the Hogs didn’t have an inexplicable fumbling problem over the last few years (Arkansas has more fumbles than any other FBS program since 2020 – you read that correctly), which culminated in game-losing turnovers against Ole Miss and Memphis this season.