Only Wins Will Determine How Good Is Sam Pittman's New Deal
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Whatever the number and terms are in Sam Pittman's new deal with Arkansas won't be enough if he reaches the playoffs.
If he doesn't make a decent bowl game it will be too high.
Despite the hand-wringing by many Razorback fans, only wins decide how good it will be.
And the only evidence anybody has there is a new deal is Pittman said Saturday there was an agreement by everybody and that was delivered in complete Pittmanese:
"Well, I've agreed to what they've offered. They agreed when I agreed. So, I don't know what all that means. I agree. They agree. So, that means I guess we agree"
The translation of all that is everybody agrees to something. The only thing we know is that there is a no-compete clause in there, which likely means it's going to be a big number.
After a 9-4 season and an Outback Bowl win over Penn State, the third-year head coach had all the leverage. Putting one of those unenforceable non-compete clauses in there gives everybody a public relations win.
Since neither side pays lawyers by the hour in most of these things, they are usually the starting point for negotiations when either side wants a divorce.
The bottom line is it's a recruiting tool.
"We're trying to sell this contract as stability," Pittman said Saturday.
The Hogs have that right now with Pittman, defensive coordinator Barry Odom and offensive coordinator Kendal Briles coming back for a third year.
"You have 130 schools," Pittman said. "Eight of them have their head coach, offensive and defensive coordinators still there in the last three years is what I read somewhere. Eight schools that have the head coach, OC and DC of 130 going into their third season."
Arkansas is one of those eight.
And now they are hoping that lands the players they need to get into the upper half of the SEC West on a regular basis.
Pittman wants that in what is likely his last coaching job.
"They can fire me whenever they get good and ready to, but I can't leave if that makes sense," he said explaining what the non-compete clause is about. "Don't want to anyway."
What he does want to do is win.
Which is what will determine how good this new contract will be.
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