Arkansas will have a new head coach when it comes to Knoxville in two weeks. The Sam Pittman era is over in Fayetteville, according to Pete Thamel, with the Razorbacks firing the sixth-year head coach Sunday, following an embarrassing 56-13 loss against Notre Dame Saturday.
Ironically, Arkansas is going back to a former head coach in the interim. The Razorbacks named Bobby Petrino their interim head coach for the rest of the season, according to Thamel.
The Razorbacks are now off to a 2-3 (0-1 SEC) start to the season with losses against Ole Miss, Memphis and the Fighting Irish. Arkansas led by 18 points late in the first half against Memphis before blowing the lead. Even then, the Razorbacks fumbled deep in Memphis territory with a chance to score a late game-clinching touchdown.
Arkansas was just slight underdogs against Notre Dame but laid an egg. The Fighting Irish scored touchdowns on all six first-half drives, jumping out to a 42-13 lead at halftime and cruising to the victory. Arkansas made the move to fire Pittman after the loss.
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The Pittman era started well in Fayetteville, with the Razorbacks overachieving in his first few seasons, including a 9-4 record in 2021 and a 7-6 record in 2022. But things went downhill from there. Arkansas went 4-8 in 2023 before improving with a 7-6 record a season ago that gave Pittman one more year.
Arkansas finished with a 32-34 record in Pittman’s five-plus seasons as head coach. They now turn to Petrino who went 34-17 in his four seasons as the Razorbacks’ head coach before a scandal ended his tenure following the 2011 season.
According to reporting by CBS Sports’ Will Backus, Arkansas owes Pittman a $9.8 million buyout. While a substantial number, it pails in comparison to the buyout for other coaches on the hot seat like Florida’s Billy Napier and Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer.
The Razorbacks have an open date this week before traveling to Tennessee on Oct. 11. Both teams will be coming off an open date and are in need of a SEC win. Tennessee will be looking for revenge from a season ago when Arkansas upset the Vols 19-14 in Fayetteville.
The SEC has not yet announced the kickoff time or the broadcast details for the conference showdown.
