Resetting Razorbacks coaching hot board ahead of busy November

Which coaches should Hogs' leadership be looking at as other jobs pop open?

Tulane Green Wave coach Jon Sumrall looks on against Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at Yulman Stadium. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek is going on a month since the firing of sixth-year coach Sam Pittman and there hasn't been much news to report on the search.

While names will be thrown at a wall like a noodle to see if it sticks, coaches have been floated from everywhere. Whether its Nick Saban, Jon Gruden, Urban Meyer all the way to Harding's Paul Simmons, any and all coaches have been "on the table" for a Razorbacks' fanbase starved for a winner.

Pittman’s tenure, like Bret Bielema's ended with more heart than it did with wins, finishing his time at Arkansas with a 32-34 record and 14-29 mark in SEC which wasn't enough despite leveling things from ground zero jus six years ago.

The Razorbacks now enters a pivotal time in its program history in what could be one of the wildest coaching carousels ever at the college level.

Yurachek has laid out exactly his prerequisites will be for the job and it appears they will target a successful coach who prioritizes winning, team culture and talent evaluations.

With one coach likely already off the board in former Penn State's James Franklin, here are a few still on the hot board as the calender flips to November.

Rhett Lashlee, SMU

Lashlee is the obvious name to be included due to his ties to the state, which aren't neccissarily a dealbreaker to be the next coach, according to Yurachek.

The hometown coach is an offensive innovator after spending time under Gus Malzahn at Auburn before finding success at UConn, MIami and SMU.

He began his coaching career with the Razorbacks as a graduate assistant and has orchestrated top offenses during his time at Dallas, producing an offense that conisistently ranks in the top 20 nationally for total offense.

SMU Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee looks on during the first half against the Syracuse Orange at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

A few positives that backup his resume is his knowledge of the state, culture, and expectations and importance that comes with being the Razorbacks head man.

Recent history shows Lashlee's offenses are fast, balanced, and quarterback-friendly, which are traits its Arkansas fans and athletics department are used to seeing under several different staffs.

He’s recruited well throughout Texas and the Southeast, which gives Arkansas the opportunity to stretch its recruiting pipelines nationally compared to regionally.

With his success at SMU, getting the Mustangs to a College Football Playoff and establishing its national brand, he would quickly be able to energize a fanbase Arkansas ties would energize the fanbase and bring them together after such division in recent years.

Jon Sumrall, Tulane

The former Kentucky Wildcats' linebacker has been a successful defensive coach, rising up the coaching ranks quickly in just four seasons between Troy Trojans and Green Wave.

He’s a culture-first coach with a defensive edge and SEC assistant experience at his alma mater of Kentucky and Ole Miss.

His teams play with discipline, physicality, and purpose, which are traits Arkansas fans want to see considering how bad its defenses have played in recent seasons.

Sumrall checks all the boxes Yurachek wants in the perfect candidate except he's still relatively young at 42-years old with only four years of head coaching experience.

One lucky team that hires him will likely benefit from his obsession with winning and hatred for complacency.

Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State

Another young gun with an extremely high upside currently coaches out west with the Sun Devils', a program on the rise on the national scene following a near College Football Playoffs semifinal upset of Texas just 10 months ago.

At 35, his résumé speaks for itself with assistant stops at Oregon, Auburn and Florida State. He’s aggressive, creative, and unafraid to take risks, such as calling on Arizona State brass for extra resources, which speaks of his eagerness to continue winning at a high clip.

The Razorbacks program needs a shift in excitement and energy as things began to get a bit stale under Pittman. Dillingham would be able to generate excitement and bring more money to the program with a proven track record as a program builder.

Alex Golesh, South Florida

The Bulls coach has engineered one of the most explosive offenses in the AAC, reviving a stagnant program with tempo, creativity, and quarterback development.

His schemes emphasize versatility and speed, which would complement Arkansas’s existing personnel and attract dynamic skill players.

South Florida Bulls head coach Alex Golesh looks on from the sidelines against the North Texas Mean Green during the first half of a game at DATCU Stadium. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

With an overall record of 20-14 over 2.5 seasons at USF along with his background of exciting offenses coordinating under Josh Heupel at Tennessee, Arkansas fans would find optimism in a potential quick build under Golesh.

He does have a pair of victories over Top 25 opponents this season against Boise State and Florida. With four games remaining, he still has the Bulls in contention for an American Conference Championship.