Interesting Look at Coaches Maybe on Hotter Seats Than Pittman

Razorbacks' coach has some yappers, but things might be little warmer elsewhere

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Nov 6, 2023 2:17 AM EST
Original:
Nov 5, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The prevailing opinion around these parts this week is Arkansas coach Sam Pittman is safe for next year, although the reasoning varies. Remember, these are social media heroes who have "someone who's in the know" telling only them these things. But there are some drum beats around the SEC getting louder.

You can start with the Texas Aggies. They probably didn't pay Jimbo Fisher all that money to be sitting at 5-4 with three games left to play and one of them sorta like the Razorbacks' game with Florida International in a couple of weeks. Matt Galatzan at All Aggies put it all into a little perspective and it's a situation remarkably similar to the Hogs.

Keep in mind Hogs athletics director Hunter Yurachek is really the only person who knows anything for certain. He isn't talking these days about anything like that and would likely steer the ship into the center of the discussion if it was brought up. Maybe the main thing to remember is Mike Anderson and the way everybody was shocked when that happened.

Don't ask me. They don't ask my opinion and I don't have an idea about the finances. I do know there's a way out for everybody to do it gracefully. That's assuming, of course, Sam Pittman was sincere when he's told us this is his last job and he's going to his lake house on Lake Hamilton when it's done.

Pittman is over 60 years of age, but his buyout says he has to seem a similar employment that will mitigate the buyout. Considering contracts in sports these days are just starting points for negotiations when one side or the other wants to break it, the Razorback Foundation has a way everybody wins. They could waive that part of the deal for a reduced amount, Pittman can gracefully retire, go to a few Razorback Club meetings a year, slap backs and tell stories.

That's just sheer speculation, though. If somebody else is on a really hot seat around the league other than Fisher down in Aggie Land I'm not aware of it. There are rumblings about a whole lot of people (like Florida), but everybody will likely get another year to prove whether they can get the job done or not.

Don't get me to speculating what is going on in College Station. They owe Fisher a whopping amount, but it's a little different than with Razorback coaches. In Arkansas they make monthly payments over several years. The understanding is the Aggies have to pony up a whopping amount pretty fast to dump Jimbo. There are folks who could, but no idea if they would pay that amount.

For this week, Pittman's job is safe. When he jettisoned Dan Enos a few weeks ago that gave him some grace time ,... at least a week. Let the hopes and thoughts after beating Florida on Saturday have a week and see what they do against Auburn on Saturday. Like the Northwest Arkansas weather, thoughts on Hogs' coaches can change quickly.