Arkansas football facing a make-or-break 2024 season
As the scorching Arkansas sun beats down on Fayetteville, an even more intense heat is building around Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman.
Entering his fifth year, Pittman finds himself atop a list no coach wants to lead -- On3's SEC Head Coach Pressure Rankings.
The 2024 season is a defining moment for Pittman and the program he leads.
2024 SEC Head Coach Pressure Rankings via @JesseReSimonton🔥https://t.co/rTvOCIsTJu pic.twitter.com/x1xJMdO1mt
— On3 (@On3sports) July 1, 2024
The journey to this crossroads has been a rollercoaster ride for the Razorbacks. From the highs of a nine-win season in 2021 to the crushing lows of a 4-8 record in 2023, Arkansas football has experienced it all. Yet, as the 2024 season approaches, the air in Fayetteville is thick.
Pittman's tenure, which began in the 2020 COVID-19 year, has been a study in contrasts. While Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss and Eli Drinkwitz at Missouri have seen their programs ascend, Arkansas seems stuck. This disparity has not gone unnoticed by a fanbase growing increasingly restless.
The numbers tell all. Since a heartbreaking fumble against Texas A&M in 2022 -- a moment many point to as the beginning of the decline -- Arkansas has gone 8-14 overall and a dismal 3-12 in SEC play. More troubling is the team's performance in close games. Under Pittman, the Razorbacks are 6-14 in one-possession contests, including a 1-5 record last season. These statistics paint a picture of a team unable to seize crucial moments.
However, all is not lost. The 2024 season offers a chance for redemption, beginning with the season opener against UAPB in Little Rock. While this game should be a formality, past upsets lead fans to be hesitantly optimistic. The real test comes in week two with a road trip to face a preseason top-25 Oklahoma State team. A victory here could reignite the spark that seems to have dimmed.
The return of key players offers a glimmer of hope, suggesting that it may be premature to write off the 2024 Razorbacks. Yet, the margin for error is razor-thin. One misstep could send the season spiraling, while a strong start could be just what the team needs.