Arkansas Fires Head Football Coach Sam Pittman After Uninspiring 2-3 Start

Arkansas has parted ways with head football coach Sam Pittman after five-plus years together, the school announced Sunday. Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has been appointed as interim head coach for the rest of the season.

"I want to thank Coach Pittman for his service and dedication to the University of Arkansas throughout his time as head coach," Hunter Yurachek, Arkansas' vice chancellor and athletic director, said in a statement. "From Day 1, you could tell how much this opportunity meant to him. At this time, however, I feel a change is necessary to put our student-athletes and program in the best position to be successful.

"The goal for our football program is to be highly competitive within the Southeastern Conference and compete for a national championship. As we move forward in the process of finding our next head coach, I am certain we will be able to provide the necessary resources to our staff and team to reach our goals. We will begin a national search for our next head coach immediately and that search will include Coach Petrino, who has expressed his desire to be a candidate for the full-time job."

Pittman, who was named Arkansas's 34th head coach in December 2019, was in the midst of his sixth season at the helm in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks are off to a rough start this season, going 2-3 overall (0-1 in SEC play) through Week 5. Pittman boasts a 32-34 overall record while winning three bowl games in his tenure at Arkansas. Petrino served as Arkansas' head coach from 2008-11 before returning last season as the team’s offensive coordinator.

Arkansas started the season strong, going 2-0 right out of the gate, though their opponents were lower-level FCS program Alabama A&M and Arkansas State out of the Sun Belt. Still, the Razorbacks scored 52 and 56 points, respectively, in those first two games and seemed to have some rhythm on an offense led by QB Taylen Green.

Arkansas has gone on to lose three straight — to then-No. 17 Ole Miss, Memphis and then-No. 22 Notre Dame — by an average of 17 points. In terms of total offense so far this season through five games, the Razorbacks rank 10th in yards per game (514.6) and seventh in total yards (2,573). In the SEC, they rank fourth in both of those categories.

Arkansas has a bye this week and next takes on Tennessee on the road at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville on Oct. 11.

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