Denny Simmons / The Tennessean-USA TODAY NETWORK
Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman Says Razorbacks Are 'Ecstatic' About Adding Oklahoma, Texas
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has a little different perspective on adding Oklahoma and Texas to the conference than most of his SEC colleagues.
Pittman is from Oklahoma. He grew up in El Reno and went to high school in Grove. He’s followed the Sooners since he was a little boy.
Now, of course, he’ll be coaching the Razorbacks against the Sooners and the Longhorns when they join the SEC in 2024.
“I think, obviously, the state of Arkansas is ecstatic about having an opportunity to play Texas and for that matter Oklahoma,” Pittman said Wednesday during his turn at SEC Media Days in Nashville. “Proximity is so good. It's so good for us and it's not going to be costly on fans because they can drive back and forth to Norman and to Austin.
“I think relatively everybody's really excited about that. Obviously, we’re bringing two powerful, storied programs into the SEC. So we know they’re going to be really great opponents. But I think everybody’s excited. I’m excited.”
Pittman said he grew up an OU fan “until I moved out to eastern Oklahoma and became a Hog fan.”
He said adding Texas back is special because of Arkansas’ “old Southwest Conference rivalry” with the Longhorns.
Pittman said he has “a bunch of” OU football memories, among them Brian Bosworth, Billy Sims, Barry Switzer and “of course, (Bob) Stoops.
“We couldn’t really afford to go to the game or anything like that,” he said, “but a lot of great memories.
“Powerful program. Great program.”
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