Yurachek pays millions for Razorback public relations move firing Pittman now

After ranting about finances, Yurachek ponies up heavy price tag to create an opening in coaching carousel early

Arkansas Razorbacks athletics director Hunter Yurachek on the sidelines during the game with the Ole Miss Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas just paid coach Sam Pittman $9.3 million not to show up to work on Monday. Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino will take over as interim coach.

Maybe it was the simple screen pass where eight players were pursuing Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price, but all missed, leading to one of eight touchdowns in Notre Dame's 56-13 win.

Maybe it was the chorus of boos that came cascading down after Notre Dame scored on each of its six first-half drives, including twice in the final two minutes, athletic director Hunter Yurachek decided that now was the right time to pull the trigger to fire coach Sam Pittman.

The move comes at a costly price tag. Because his record since the 2021 season sits at 29-26, he is still owed 75% of his remaining contract.

Without getting too far into the weeds on specific contract details, had the Hogs lost the next three games against very formidable opponents in Tennessee, Texas A&M and Auburn, his buyout would have cost just $6 million.

Even if Pittman would have found a way to win three SEC games in the remaining seven against opponents with a combined record of 27-6 to keep his record above .500 at the end of the season, Yurachek still would have saved about $700,000.

Good PR is worth paying for. After seeing the 10th-largest crowd in stadium history look more like a Christmas tree with the Irish Kelly green sprinkled throughout the red and white than a successful stripe out in the second half, Yurachek needed some, and fast.

Today's attendance at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium: 75,111.

It's the 10th-largest crowd in stadium history. pic.twitter.com/dxkxUGEerY

— Razorback Communications (@RazorbackComms) September 27, 2025

There are other advantages as well. Arkansas is already the fourth Power Four school to fire their head coach midseason, following Virginia Tech, UCLA and Oklahoma State. Yurachek will have more time to decide who will be the next coach of the Razorbacks.

But this is also the same athletic director that has reputedly made comments that the football team is not where it needs to be financially to sustain itself.

In 2024, Yurachek made comments about how much further ahead Ole Miss is than Arkansas in NIL, fittingly right before a 63-31 blowout loss at the hands of the Rebels also at Razorback Stadium.

Earlier this month, Yurachek made similar comments, openly admitting that the program was not in a place to compete for national championships at the Little Rock Touchdown Club.

"Football, where we are right now, we're not set up to win a national championship."
— Arkansas Razorback Athletic Director, Hunter Yurachek.@hunteryurachek @razorbackfb @arkrazorbacks pic.twitter.com/5pWnSt2b3G

— LR Touchdown Club (@LRTouchdownClub) September 15, 2025

Yurachek also went to the state capitol to testify in favor of a raffle bill that has raised roughly $440,000 since its introduction at the end of the 2025 baseball season.

That isn't chump change, and Arkansas is more successful in this particular endeavor than many of its SEC counterparts. Florida has raised just over $300,000 through its 50-50 raffle despite starting the program at the beginning of the 2024 football season.

But it doesn't even cover the difference in the buyout had Yurachek waited until the end of the season, regardless of record.

There is no way of measuring the increase in donors both in terms of corporate and fans, but having already looked the other way after a 4-8 season to save money, cracking in the final few weeks when $3 million is on the line is a hefty price to pay.