Razorbacks' Pittman in class of own going into 2025 season

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The hot seat talk for Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has been around since leading the Razorbacks to a 4-8 mark in 2023.

Prior to the 2024 season, Pittman was listed with fellow SEC coach Billy Napier (Florida) as most likely coaches to be fired. Both men survived hot seat talk with winning records, but the Razorbacks' head man still sits in a fiery hot seat, according to CBS Sports.

The sixth year coach is given a level five hot seat and is the only coach to receive such a ranking, including Mississippi State's Jeff Lebby (1) after his team went 2-10 in his first year.

Mississippi State Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby and Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman shake hands after the game game at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Even Napier, who is 19-19 during his time with the Gators, was given a level four in terms of job security.

Job security for college football coaches is a tenuous proposition. Administrative decisions are constantly influenced by feedback from boosters and fans, whose support is essential to moving in a positive direction. And since those opinions often come from emotionally charged individuals, a coach can find himself thrown on, or off, the hot seat with the results of a single season, or even a single game.
CBS Sports

Late last season, speculation about his job continued after multiple blowout losses along with another one-possession heartbreaker to Battle Line rival Missouri.

"I’ve never one time worried about my job, I promise you not one time," Pittman said. "So am I happy that we are bowl eligible? Yes, for everybody in the building and that staff besides me.

"I've never worried about that. Still don't. I'm going to be fine one way or the other, but I'm going to fight like hell for the University of Arkansas the entire time that I'm head coach."

Pittman has been persistent with his lack of worry about how hot his seat is and that he never thinks about it. The hot seat talk has impacted recruiting in a sense as coaches across the nation can use it as a negative tactic against Arkansas, speaking out against it following a victory over Florida International in November 2023.

"I will say this guys, when we start talk about firing and all this, it kills us in recruiting," Pittman said. "It does. Especially when we fabricate stories and put it out. It kills us in recruiting when we give opinions about who's coming in and all those type things. It kills us.

"I've got a wife and she's a human being. People put out stuff that's not true. I know it's an opinion world now, but I don't think I'm getting fired guys or he would've told me I'm getting fired. I'm not for sure why I have to answer these questions or not, but I think I don't."

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green during spring practice drills inside Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

Pittman is 30-31 over his first five seasons at Arkansas with a chance to lead the Razorbacks to their fourth bowl game in five seasons.

The Razorbacks have plenty of work to do with a roster rebuilt after 40+ players entered the portal along with several key players exhausting their eligibility.

For Pittman, it has to be tiring to keep hearing the same talk each season, but to his credit it doesn't seem to bother him as his programs marches toward 2025.

Arkansas opens the season at Razorback Stadium Aug. 30 against Alabama A&M with kickoff scheduled for 3:15 p.m. that will air nationally on the SEC Network.

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