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DALLAS -- After a 4-8 season last year, no seat in the SEC is hotter than Sam Pittman's is in Fayetteville. But the Arkansas head coach thinks things will be better in 2024.
"I love this team. I love our coaches. Our expectations are as high as they've ever been for this season coming up," he said at SEC Media Days. "If we can take 4-20 to 9-4, we can deal with 4-8, too, and that's what we're going to do. I'm very excited about the Arkansas Razorbacks."
But Pittman isn't just dealing with 4-8; he's dealing with massive turnover on his roster, including starting quarterback KJ Jefferson (transferred to UCF) and running back Rocket Sanders (transferred to South Carolina). No team in the conference saw more players hit the portal than Arkansas, with more than three dozen scholarship players leaving since the start of December 2023.
Pittman also brought in a new offensive staff after the Hogs were 105th in total offense last season. His hopes for a turnaround rest on the shoulders of Bobby Petrino, Texas A&M's former offensive coordinator and the man who once held the job Pittman now has.
"Bobby has been a great resource for me. Not only I think he's a wonderful offensive coordinator, he also was a very successful head coach. So there is a lot of times where I'm able to run things by him and we decide collectively at times what is best for the University of Arkansas football team," Pittman said. "On offense, we have a lot to improve on. We think we addressed that in the portal with four offensive linemen and three portal running backs. Obviously went out and got a quarterback as well. Our wide receiver group is returning."
Arkansas has 11 returning starters on offense and defense, but 39 total new players between the 2024 recruiting class and the transfer portal. The biggest addition is presumptive starting quarterback Taylen Green, who threw for 1,752 yards with 11 touchdowns and 8 interceptions last year while rushing for 438 more at Boise State.
"Bobby Petrino went out and handpicked him," Pittman said. "He's perfect for what Coach Petrino wants to do for our offense, and he has great, great leadership skills."
Even though very little is expected by most from this Arkansas team, Pittman pointed out that his 2023 squad lost five games by a touchdown or less. If the Razorbacks can learn how to finish games, he said, then the team's record can be turned around quickly this season.
"2024 season is a fresh start. We been working tirelessly to address areas we need improvement. Our players have shown remarkable resilience and commitment this off-season. We know our fans deserve a team that competes at the highest level," he said. "We're exited to making that happen. The support from our Razorback community has in the wavered. It fuels our drive to turn things around. Our focus is to embrace the hog, which means we need to be tough, we need to be together, we need to be consistent, accountable, and do it with pride."
Arkansas' 2024 schedule
Aug. 29: Arkansas-Pine Bluff (at Little Rock, Ark.)
Sept. 7: @Oklahoma State
Sept. 14: UAB
Sept. 21: @Auburn
Sept. 28: TEXAS A&M (at Arlington, Texas)
Oct. 5: Tennessee
Oct. 12: BYE
Oct. 19: LSU
Oct. 26: @Mississippi State
Nov. 2: Ole Miss
Nov. 9: BYE
Nov. 16: Texas
Nov. 23: Louisiana Tech
Nov. 30: @Missouri
Arkansas' projected two-deep
QB: Taylen Green (Jr.-TR.)/Malachi Singleton (RS-Fr.)
RB: Ja'Quinden Jackson (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Rashod Dubinion (Jr.)
TE: Luke Hasz (So.)/Var'Keyes Gumms (RS-Jr.-TR.)
WR (X): Luther Broden (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Isaac TeSlaa (RS-Sr.-TR.)
WR (Z): Andrew Armstrong (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Kahfre Brown (RS-Sr.-TR.)
WR (SLOT): Isaiah Sategna (RS-So.)/Jaedon Wilson (RS-Jr.)
LT: Fernando Carmona (RS-Jr.-TR.)/E'Marion Harris (RS-So.(
LG: Patrick Kutas (Jr.)/Ty'Kieast Crawford (Sr.-TR.)
C: Addison Nichols (RS-So.-TR.)/Amaury Wiggins (RS-Jr.-TR.)
RG: Joshua Braun (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Kobe Branham (Fr.)
RT: Keyshawn Blackstock (RS-Jr.-TR.)/Joe Moore (RS-Sr.-TR.)
LE: Landon Jackson (Sr.-TR.)/Qunicy Rhodes Jr. (So.)
NT: Eric Gregory (RS-Sr.)/Danny Saili (Jr.-TR.)
DT: Cameron Ball (RS-Jr.)/Keivie Rose (RS-Sr.-TR.)
RE: Nico Davillier (Jr.)/Anton Juncaj (RS-SR.-TR.)
WILL: Brad Spence (SO.)/Larry Worth III (Jr.-TR.)
MIKE: Xavien Storey Jr. (RS-Jr.-TR.)/Stephen Dix Jr. (RS-Jr.-TR.)
FCB: Jaylon Braxton (So.)/Marquise Robinson (Sr.-TR.)
SS: Jayden Johnson (Sr.)/Miguel Mitchell (Jr.-TR.)
FS: Hudson Clark (RS-Sr.)/TJ Metcalf (So.)
BCB: Kee'yon Stewart (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Jaheim Singletary (RS-So.-TR.)
Nickel: Doneiko Slaughter (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Anthony Switzer (Gr.-TR.)
