Saturday's Events Open Door for Arkansas to Provide Huge Value to Coaches

Pittman has opportunity to lure assistants he couldn't afford otherwise if he is willing to step outside the box with unique coaching program

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Aug 12, 2023 9:52 PM EDT

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Tennessee Titans are doing it. Lane Kiffin's jumping on board the train over at Ole Miss. And at Arkansas, it not only might be a good idea, it will need to be expanded.

Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel wanted to both make a point and provide an opportunity all at once when he decided defensive line coach Terrell Williams should have the chance to coach the preseason opener, which included handling press conference duties before and after. The move not only brought attention to an African American coach in need of a chance to prove he too can be a head coach, it allowed Vrabel to simply step back and watch his team from a wider perspective.

It should also be noted that the path from defensive line coach to head coach isn't exactly a straight line either. As Arkansas coach Sam Pittman can attest, worthy men can get stuck coaching linemen on either side of the ball forever if an extreme opportunity doesn't basically fall from the sky.

Not long after, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin followed suit by appointing wide receivers coach Derrick Nix head coach for 24 hours, although it appears Kiffin handled the press conference that followed. While Nix handled head coaching duties, Kiffin dealt with the receivers.

Afterward, Kiffin said what took place wasn't a publicity stunt. Instead, he argued, it was done because he too wanted to make a point that more African American coaches need opportunity to show what they can do to increase chances at head coaching jobs.

Pittman is in a unique position to see what took place in the NFL and at Ole Miss Saturday and maximize its potential. At the end of last season, he saw a need for more diversity on his staff, so he went out and did something about it. Also, as stated earlier, Pittman knows better than possibly anyone how getting any kind of opportunity at all can make a difference for coaches who excel at coaching certain positions.

It's no secret that Pittman was one of the most coveted offensive line coaches and recruiters in America, but he couldn't get a glimpse at coordinator, much less as a head coach. It took an epic meltdown, tons of other open jobs and the perception of a program beyond repair, along with a full press campaign from former players to get Pittman the chance to close his career as Arkansas head coach.

That's why Pittman has the perfect platform to extend beyond race and put forth a program that not only gives his assistants a chance to grow and develop, but also make himself a better coach. Every Tuesday for the rest of the season, Pittman can put one of his assistants in charge for 24 hours while he coaches that assistant's position group.

Such an effort will do so much for the team. Remember, part of why Pittman kept getting passed up for head coaching jobs was because he lacked experience outside of coaching the offensive line. This not only gives him a chance to impart wisdom on his assistants and open their eyes to everything he deals with in addition to their individual issues, it also allows the assistants to share more insight into coaching their position group.

Not only does Pittman gain knowledge about coaching a new position, he spends a day fully focused on one group of players who may not get that much attention from their head coach over the course of five game preparations. On top of that, it builds relationships.

Possible opportunity goes beyond getting to experience what it's like to sit in the head coach's chair for a day each season. When it's time for Dan Enos to step into the role, Pittman can have running backs coach Jimmy Smith try his hand as offensive coordinator while Pittman coaches the backs. The same goes for when it's Travis Williams' turn. Marcus Woodson can coordinate the defense on his own while Pittman coaches up defensive backs.

Since there are 12 games and 10 assistants, Enos and Williams could get two cracks at it. This would allow for offensive line coach Cody Kennedy and defensive line coach Deke Adams to take a shot at being coordinators for a day also, an opportunity that might never come for either man otherwise because of bias against the position.

Walking a day in someone else's shoes not only increases an appreciation for what is being done, it greatly enhances communication. It also allows Pittman to see first-hand whether coaches on his staff can handle the pressure of the position should an opportunity to promote within his ranks ever come. Also, when other teams come calling about head coaching or coordinator opportunities, he can speak with more authority when either recommending or not recommending a candidate, including when one day he steps down as head coach.

This is an opportunity with high potential. Players not only need a different voice every now and then, they need to know the head coach truly sees them. This does both. As for assistant coaches, it's a program that will provide a value that money can't. Arkansas pays well, but there are still plenty of athletic programs that can outbid the Hogs, especially in the non-coordinator roles.

If Pittman can tell a prospective assistant that at one point during the season he will get a chance to coach the team and also possibly show what he can do as a coordinator, along with multiple chances to do the same during spring and summer workouts, the experience can potentially be more valuable than a little extra money.

There's little doubt Pittman would have jumped at such an opportunity to be seen in those roles and have his head coaches speak about how he handled things first-hand instead of in hypotheticals. He would have known specifically what to work on to make himself more prepared, which would have given him even more talking points in interviews to help him no longer be pigeon-holed as an offensive line coach.

Instead of one African-American coach getting a chance to shine in the spotlight, they all would, which in the case of the Razorbacks would run the number up to six. Plus, overlooked coaches of all backgrounds get opportunity also. The entire staff, including the head coach, receives an opportunity to grow.

It's the kind of program that can bring diversity into the college football head coaching ranks in every sense of the word, which is highly preferable to retreading the same names over and over or banishing a coach to lower divisions just to get the slightest hint of a chance.

Is it a risk? Sure. Any day during the season spent shaking things up in such a manner can be costly. However, if these men can't keep the team on track for a single day, then why are they on staff to begin with? Either they can be trusted or they shouldn't have been hired.

Finding out either way can be valuable in the long run and the potential reward is simply too high to not at least consider it. It would certainly make Tuesday press conferences must-see video. The question now becomes whether a program like Arkansas has the guts to give it a shot.