10 Power Four college football coaches on the hot seat in 2024

4. Sam Pittman, Arkansas

Arkansas has been in a slump for a while. Ever since Bobby Petrino left after 2011, the Razorbacks have struggled. Since 2012, Arkansas has only enjoyed five winning seasons. Sam Pittman has two of those under his belt but his job security is certainly on the line. It's win or bust for Pittman, who's preparing for his fourth season as the head man.

He stepped in for Chad Morris in 2020 and has had a mixed bag. His first season saw the Razorbacks finish 3-7 in a condensed ten-game schedule due to COVID-19. However, in 2021, Pittman gave Arkansas fans hope that he might be the guy to bring the program back into respectability. Arkansas won nine games and finished as a top-25 team for the first time since Petrino's last year. The highlight was a win in the Outback Bowl.

Since then, the team has regressed. Despite winning the Liberty Bowl in 2022, Arkansas finished that year with a mediocre 7-6 record. For lots of schools, that's a plus. However, being in the SEC, there is always more that's expected. Last season was even worse, as Arkansas went 4-8. With back-to-back seasons of mediocrity and losing, the pressure is higher than ever for Pittman to prove that he's the right coach to put the school back on an upward trajectory.

What made last season even worse for everyone was that Arkansas was only able to win one SEC contest, which was a win against Florida. If you're not Vanderbilt, you shouldn't be that dismal in SEC play. The offense was not great and it didn't help that the Hogs lost quarterback KJ Jefferson and running back Raheim Sanders to the transfer portal.

They also lost star linebacker Chris Paul to Ole Miss as well as Jaheim Tomas. Luckily, they did bring in transfers who can help immediately. Taylen Green comes in from Boise State to be the new starting quarterback. Ja'Quniden Jackson comes in from Utah to be the new primary tailback. An offensive line that struggled mightily gets three new faces Fernando Carmona from San Jose State, Keyshawn Blackstock from Michigan State, and Addison Nichols from Tennessee. An offense guided by offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino should thrive.

The defense also added some new faces such as Georgia linebacker Xavian Sorey, who should shine more for Arkansas. There is plenty of depth in the secondary and the front line should be better around defensive end Landon Jackson. Jackson is a 2024 second-team Preseason All-American. The schedule should be good enough for Arkansas to get back into a bowl game.

Three of their four non-conference opponents are Arkansas Pine-Bluff, UAB, and Louisiana Tech. The Razorbacks don't have to worry about playing Alabama, Oklahoma, Georgia, and even Kentucky. Games against Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M are winnable. With all that being said, Arkansas is looking for improvements. Pittman is looking over his shoulders, especially with Petrino waiting in the wings. He'll be gone if the team has another bad year.