Why Pittman right about how Razorbacks' season can be special

Hogs' sixth-year coach confidently ready to show off team with underdog mentality against difficult schedule

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman at game against the Texas Longhorns at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

When Arkansas coach Sam Pittman comes out boasting in confidence about his football team, fans roll their eyes.

Not everyone believes Pittman, most fans have their reservations given his 30-31 overall record and won't bat an eye about bashing him.

"I don't know what the guys who never played down predicted us, you know, and all that kind of stuff, but I know that we've got a really good freshman class that we do," Pittman said Monday at the Little Rock Touchdown Club. "Hence, if you don't want to rank us, that's fine. Don't you have to play all of them anyway?

"Roll that [football] out there, and let's see what happens. That's fine. We don't need to be ranked if you don't want to rank us. We'll surprise a lot of people. We ain't surprising me, we've got a really good football team. We really, really do, and we're excited to get out there and play."

How Pittman can be right

It seems like Pittman says, "I have a good team" every year and he isn't lying to anyone either.

It's going to take Arkansas turning more of those one possession losses into victories in order for fans to buy in on what he's selling.

What does he mean by having a good team? Well, his team has been competitive for the most part of his tenure at Arkansas. Outside of games against LSU and Ole Miss last season, most games have come down to one possession, losing another three games by eight points or less to Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Missouri.

Maybe it's the "Battered Hog Syndrome" what can go wrong will go wrong if fans fully invest into a team and season.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman walking the outdoor practice fields during preseason drills in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-allHOGS Images

It's happened plenty of times, Razorback teams just miss out reaching the mountaintop whether that be the 2006 SEC Championship Game, being cheated out of victories at Florida or Auburn over a decade ago, or watching double-digit leads evaporate in the NCAA Tournament like pool water on a hot summer day.

The only time Pittman has completely off in his assessment of having a good team was in 2023 coming off a back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2015 and 2016.

His team was considered bigger and faster, but that ended up being a bit off base as stars such as KJ Jefferson and Rocket Sanders seemed to be much slower despite gaining weight during the offseason.

Pittman's optimism comes from a great place as redshirt senior quarterback, Taylen Green, along with Oklahoma transfer John Mateer, are the only returning quarterbacks at the FBS level to pass for more than 3,000 yards and rush for over 600 yards in 2024. 

“We got a really good football team,” Pittman said. “It’s our biggest team that we’ve had. It’s our fastest team that we’ve had. We’ve got Taylen Green and the other teams don’t. That’s how we feel about it.”

Finally ready for the SEC

Transfer running back Mike Washington has been waiting for this moment during his entire football career, playing a down of ball in the SEC.

At 6-foot-2, 228 pounds, Washington hasn't necessarily been behind a good enough offensive line to be a star at the Group of Five level during his career. Now, at Arkansas, Pittman believes he found an elite playmaker ready to expose defenses in 2025.

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Mike Washington in drills at the indoor center in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

“I normally don’t talk about too many guys, well I’m going to tell you, he’s good,” Pittman said of Washington. “He’s fast. We’ve had three different scrimmages and he’s scored 50-60 yard [touchdowns] every scrimmage.”

Looking at statistics, Washington's numbers won't pop off the page, recording 422 total carries for 1,844 yards and 18 touchdowns with another 244 yards and two scores receiving at the MAC and Conference-USA levels.

No worries, all Hogs

There are some depth issues across the board, especially allong the defensive line.

While transfers such as Justus Boone and Phillip Lee are surging up the depth chart in fall practice, there are still questions whether others will be able to contribute such as Charlie Collins and Kavion Henderson.

“I’m not really worried about any position, I’m worried about depth at [each] position,” Pittman said. “Where we’re still developing depth would be on the defensive line. We have to, because it’s a beast in there. Then wide receiver. I’m not concerned about wide receiver, it just seems like each scrimmage somebody else is showing up, which is a good thing.”

At wide receiver, Pittman seems to name off a different player each day who stands out during scrimmages. Whether it be transfers O'Mega Blake or Jalen Brown, elder statesman Monte Harrison or true freshman Antonio Jordan, it seems like the lights are coming on for the whole team going into the regular season.