Looking at Season with Questions, What Could be 'Magic Number' for Decision?
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — If anybody knows what the number of wins needed for Arkansas to keep Sam Pittman, they aren't saying right now. On that same note, Pittman is probably thinking about retiring at some point, but would rather decide when he leaves and not be ahead of a posse coming after him.
Rest assured, though, unless this season absolutely stuns everybody in the world of college football, that question is going to be raised before we get out of September. You only have to remember the last offensive coordinator, everyone had high hopes for, didn't make it to Halloween of his first season on the job.
The predictions for the coming season are starting to roll in and that will pick up right after Memorial Day weekend. Eric Bolin at Best of Arkansas pointed out USA Today's recent updated projections for the year put the Hogs at 4-8. That actually sounds about right, although the smart money is thinking they'll stumble into a win they shouldn't get and finish 5-7. The Razorbacks simply don't have a single player on this roster that causes wild predictions.
As pointed out numerous times, there are far more questions with this team after spring practice than the plethora of them we had before. Nothing has changed except bringing in some more names that cause you to shrug and ask when basketball will start.
Bolin's article pointed out fans' unrealistic expectations cause a lot of the problems (and a tip of the cap for mentioning fans in Eudora where there are mosquitoes at high school games in September large enough to carry off small children). There is a belief among a lot of fans that Bobby Petrino will recreate what he did for two seasons over a decade ago. He could accomplish that at Louisville where he had even more wins than here.
Pittman likely was glad to bring him on. If nothing else, most of the blame if this offense sputters again will go in Petrino's direction. The guy is pretty sharp and knows that. The reality is even with Texas A&M's roster of better offensive players last year, he couldn't miracle the Aggies into one of the top offenses in the league. Things change fast in college football these days and what he did best over a decade ago may not be possible now, a fact nobody wants to recognize.
There has to be a set of circumstances, though, which gets to decision time for the Hogs on how long Pittman is around. It won't be surprising if it's completely his choice. Sam doesn't like the current world of college athletics, but it has nothing to do with the players getting paid. More likely it has something to do with HOW they get paid and nobody is regulating it.
It's the same dilemma Nick Saban dealt with. He was sick and tired of trying to figure it all out. Pittman would likely do something similar if the Razorbacks somehow got to the college football playoffs. There has to be something in between that he's got in mind, but it may not even be a fixed number or event.
With a 23-25 overall record at Arkansas, he did settle things down after the disastrous Chad Morris experiment for two years. Pittman's problem is, most of a big 9-win season and Outback Bowl win over Penn State was done with players Morris and Bret Bielema recruited. For a variety of reasons, too numerous to discuss here, he hasn't gotten enough of those level of players. It all comes down to players, because you're not going to win the Kentucky Derby with a Clydesdale.
It might just come down to the state of the program and if the timing is right to make a move. Most people are assuming Petrino will be the next coach, but that may not be a realistic possibility.
If there is a decision to be made, fans will get an idea of when that is probably sooner rather than later. Probably not before Halloween, but there may be a ton of questions around the entire football program by Thanksgiving. Just stay tuned and with the holiday out of the way, get ready for a steady increase of football talk.
HOGS FEED:
• College sports launched into new era of uncertainty these days.
• Fans shouldn't get caught up in SEC Tournanment losses because games meant nothing
• Arkansas' John Calipari brings son on Razorbacks' coaching staff
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ANDY HODGES
Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.