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Arkansas football: Worst head coach hires in program history

By Josh Yourish

Oct 7, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman watches from the sideline during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 7, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman watches from the sideline during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports /
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FAYETTEVILLE, AR – NOVEMBER 23: Head Coach John L. Smith of the Arkansas Razorbacks and Head Coach Les Miles the LSU Tigers talk at midfield before a game at Razorback Stadium on November 23, 2012 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Tigers defeated the Razorbacks 20-13. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, AR – NOVEMBER 23: Head Coach John L. Smith of the Arkansas Razorbacks and Head Coach Les Miles the LSU Tigers talk at midfield before a game at Razorback Stadium on November 23, 2012 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Tigers defeated the Razorbacks 20-13. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

. . John L. Smith. 4. player. 844.

Bobby Petrino was once on John Smith’s staff at Louisville as an assistant coach, but in 2009, after Smith flamed out at Michigan State and spent two seasons in broadcasting, Petrino brought Smith onto his staff at Arkansas.

Once Petrino was fired in 2012, Arkansas brought Smith back as the head coach of the team with a 10-month contract. He was named the head coach, but it was relatively clear he was merely a stop-gap. Still, Smith took a team that went 11-2 and won the Cotton Bowl in 2011 and dragged them down to 4-8 to usher in the Bret Bielema era in 2013.

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