No Surprise: Hogs Coach Sam Pittman Hitting Transfer Portal

Don't be surprised to start seeing more announcements coming soon

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
Nov 21, 2022 4:29 PM EST

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It honestly won't be surprising if Arkansas coach Sam Pittman was wrong Monday.

Heading into Friday's matchup with Missouri on CBS and fuboTV starting at 1:30 p.m. there was a lot of discussion about the transfer portal.

"I've got a lot of exit meetings coming up on Monday," Pittman said at his Monday press conference. "You guys know, us and everybody in the world, that’ll be a blow-up day, now."

He may be off a couple of days.

Pittman found out just before he left the football offices for the short golf cart trip to the press conference area in the Broyles Center was when he found out freshman running back James Jointer announced on Twitter he was transferring.

"Jimmy (Smith) just walked in my office right before we came over here and showed me the tweet," Pittman said. "I have not had a chance to talk with him nor did he come in to talk to me."

It is what it is, but players needing to grow up a little isn't surprising. Moves like this really are becoming more common these days.

Sam's assuming all of this will happen Monday in those exit meetings.

More and more players won't bother with that because they think they don't have to do that and won't. It's a grown man's decision, so any criticism players will have to handle like a grownup.

The transfer portal opens Dec. 5, so Monday is when some players will handle things appropriately and tell the boss personally he's leaving.

Throw in the COVID wildcard year some can take, opting out of a bowl game to get ready for whatever.

Drew Sanders-Ole Miss — Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Drew Sanders leaps to snag an interception in a 42-27 win over the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday night, Nov. 19, 2022, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. (Ted McClenning / allHOGS Images)

"Y’all need to get to sleep on Sunday," he warned us media folks. "There’s going to be a lot of action going on and it’s not just here ... it’s everywhere in the country."

Don't get all this wrong. Not everybody that transfers is upset about anything.

"Drew Sanders, I don’t think he was disgruntled with Alabama," Pittman said. "He wanted playing time. He wanted to maybe move his position, whatever.

"The world looks at everybody who goes in the portal as the worst thing in the world, and I really don’t. I look at it as maybe he sees on the depth chart, he’s not going to play for 2-3 years, maybe ever, and decides to go into the portal."

The door swings both ways.

"To be honest with you, I'm hoping if they're on the flight out to wherever it may be that's our team," Pittman said.

Sam Pittman-Ole Miss — Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman reacts to a call during the second half against the Ole Miss Rebels at Razorback Stadium. Arkansas won 42-27. (Nelson Chenault / USA TODAY Sports)

For the Razorbacks if you're in the portal you aren't going to the bowl game because you really have said you don't want to be part of the team. That's the correct way to view things.

Pittman's motivation for a win at Missouri this weekend is to get a better bowl game, probably as late in the cycle as possible.

That's to have more time on the practice field.

"It's also spring practice with new guys sprinkled in," he said.