Pittman Preaches Patience as Everyone Adjusts to Dan Enos System

Everything being new has led to quite a few holes but coach remains confident

Author:
Daniel Shi
Publish date:
Sep 11, 2023 5:05 PM EDT

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With Raheim "Rocket" Sanders out for the second week in a row, Arkansas' offense must find a new formula to match a high-powered BYU Cougars unit after a lackluster showing against Kent State. Coach Sam Pittman understands the growing pains that all the new faces are going through to replicate last year's success.

"It’s just a different offense," Pittman said. "I think that whenever you go hire new coordinators, that’s your biggest fear, that something that’s worked well in the past doesn’t anymore. We’ve had our trouble running the ball the last two years at times, but we’ve been pretty consistent running the football ... But the concerns of the fans certainly, I can promise you we want to win and have success as bad as anybody. So that’s valid. We gotta find a way to fix it."

Offensive coordinator Dan Enos' second stint back here at Arkansas has been a mixed bag. After scoring seven touchdowns the opening week and KJ Jefferson completing his first 12 passes, Enos's unit looked a mess the entire first half and was helped out by a pick-six by linebacker Antonio Grier in a 28-6 win.

"At some point me and Dan had a conversation 'We are going to win the game, let's see if we can try to get our run game going,'" Pittman said.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson's struggles throwing the ball in week 2 also contributed to a struggling Hog rushing attack that is currently averaging 138.5 yards per game which ranks eighth in the SEC and 84th nationally. They are also averaging just 3.4 yards a carry, which sits 108th and third to last in the conference behind just Ole Miss and South Carolina. This is in stark comparison to last year, where Arkansas finished seventh in yards per game nationally (236.7).

"If you’re not having the threat of throwing the ball," Pittman said. "Then you’re going to get a loaded box. That’s what happened (against Kent State). Then it becomes frustrating. I said I’ve never been around a team that couldn’t run inside zone and we haven’t had success with it."

Pittman also stressed the importance of starting a lot better against the Cougars this week, whose early returns on defense seemingly are better than the team that Arkansas beat last year 52-35 in Provo, Utah. BYU pitched an opening-week shutout against Sam Houston State and followed it up by holding Southern Utah to just 16 points.

"Last year BYU was an urgent game," Pittman said. "It was a must-win for us and all those type things. It is now. Again, it’s hard to beat a team that hasn’t lost. Both of us haven’t, so someone’s going to have to. I think our kids understand the urgency of this game."

Kickoff between BYU and Arkansas is scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. The game can be streamed live on ESPN2 and fuboTV.