Defensive Coach Made Pittman Nervous About Hiring Him at First

Head Hog finally warmed to Travis Williams' aggressive nature in secondary, bowled over by same approach in recruiting

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Jul 19, 2023 2:48 PM EDT
Original:
Jul 19, 2023

In this story:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman is a big fan of new defensive coordinator Travis Williams, but that doesn't mean he wasn't a little nervous about some of the things he saw on tape prior to the interview.

"I have a lot of confidence in him and we will certainly be more aggressive," Pittman said during the question and answer session with the media. "That's just his nature and his style."

However, it's the aggression that had Pittman apprehensive and looking for answers when he interviewed the former Auburn linebacker turned Central Florida defensive coordinator last December. Particularly one coverage he kept seeing pop up when looking through the film – cover 0 – a man-to-man defense that relies on pressure from everyone else blitzing while the secondary tries to hold on one-on-one with no help premised on the idea of forcing the quarterback to get rid of the ball quickly and make mistakes.

"I imagine we'll see more aggressive, but I don't want to be that aggressive," Pittman said. "Man, they were Cover 0 a lot. I'm watching it, and so when I interviewed him, I said, "Hey, man, I want to go after people but every now and then, can you leave a guy in the middle of the field back there, you know?"

Pittman later expounded upon the conversation when he joined SEC Network analysts at the desk about a half hour later. That's when former Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason, a man strong in his defensive background, began having fun with Pittman about the high risk, high reward nature of what Williams likes to do.

"I think we've got corners that can cover," Pittman said at the end of breaking down why he thinks the defense will be improved.

"In Zero? Can they cover in Cover 0?" Mason asked.

"Well, they better with T-Will," Pittman said. "They better be able to. I interviewed him and I said "Gosh, dang! How many cover 0s, how many totals are you interested in? You totally killed them or they totally scored points. He said "Awe coach, I'll simmer that down a little bit in the SEC."

As Pittman wrapped up interviews for his defensive coordinator position with a couple of other candidates, the idea of what Williams brought to the table grew on him. The rewards of the aggressive defense, in tandem with other aspects Williams brings to the table made him too good to pass up, so Pittman made the call to athletics director Hunter Yurachek to make things official.

"Those type things have turnovers that come," Pittman said. "Sometimes you think about, well, what about if your corner gets beat and they go score. His corners – well, what happens if we hit the quarterback and the ball goes up in the air and we get it and go score a touchdown, too. I like that."

While the change in demeanor on defense was a selling point, Pittman made no secret that he wanted a room full of coaches who are relentless when it comes to recruiting. There would be no more room for men who aren't going out of their way to land the best and continue to sell the program to those they didn't to lay the foundation for the portal in the future. In Williams, Pittman got everything he wanted in that aspect of the game.

"'You're a wonderful man, a great coach,'" Pittman told Williams. "'A guy who can take a Pinto in the portal and turn it into a Mercedes Benz, if you want to. If they leave, you gotta replace them. Let's get a Rolls Royce.' That's what he can do. That's what he brings to our program. Love the guy.