One of the strangest quirks of modern Arkansas football is that the program always seems to circle back on itself. When Bobby Petrino’s sunset arrived and Bret Bielema was hired to clean up the mess, Sam Pittman was coaching the offensive line. Fast forward a decade, and now it’s Pittman gripping the wheel of a program veering off course. And whispers suggest that the Razorbacks could see a familiar face go on another ride in Fayetteville. 

The Razorbacks Nation wasn’t having it after the 2-2 start. CBS Sports Brandon Marcello doused the frustration on September 21 via X. “Is Bobby Petrino preparing himself to take over as interim if Sam Pittman is fired at Arkansas?” Then he shared a reel of him doubling down on his case why Bobby Petrino could actually fit the gap.

“There’s a lot more push for ‘Maybe Petrino should be the interim head coach,’” he said. “And I will tell you from the people I’ve spoken to, Bobby Petrino has been working them phones baby. He’s been talking a lot behind the scenes. He’s positioning himself to take over the Arkansas football program at least on an interim basis, if Sam Pittman is fired.” So, if Petrino really is lurking in the wings, where does that leave Sam Pittman?

Arkansas’ 32-31 stumble against Memphis dropped the HC’s job security from shaky to dangling by a finger on the cliff. Where the Power 4 losing to the other 68 is almost unheard of, Pittman not only fell to the other side, but did so in an embarrassing fashion. In the final 30 minutes, Memphis outscored the Hogs 22-3, amplifying those cries for OC Petrino to take over. 

Local radio voice and former Hog David Bazzel didn’t mince words either speaking about Pittman. “They’re not going to fire him before Notre Dame, but he’s done,” he said. “I don’t think they’re going to wait till the end of the year. I think at some point midway through the season.” There wouldn’t be any reason for Petrino to not move up for a hot minute. 

The old man has returned with an ambition to ‘make things right’ in Arkansas. While initial two seasons pulled a dud, 2025 is the year he has gotten confident about and comfortable with the offensive line. He’s graded every play with QB Taylen Green in games and practices and honed on those decision making skills. The expectations? ‘As your QB goes, your offense goes’. That’s translating to say the least.

Entering week 4, Arkansas’ offensive average of 569.3 was second-best in the SEC and fifth-best in the nation. Their scoring offense at 47.7 points per game, was also 11th best. Add that two-season 10-win stretch during his time as a HC, and you see why those  speculations have been prominent.

Plus, it’s not like Arkansas hasn’t bungled a firing before. Bret Bielema was axed walking off the field in 2017 after a loss to Missouri, then watched interim AD Julie Cromer confirm the news an hour later. The lesson is that if David Bazzel’s prediction is right, Sam Pittman won’t face that kind of public humiliation but he may still face the same fate.

And the numbers don’t help him. The HC sits at 32-33 overall with a 14-29 SEC mark. For context, that’s nearly identical to Bret Bielema’s five-year line of 29-34 and 11-29. In the SEC, mediocrity is treated as failure. The looming question, though, is how much will it cost Arkansas to move on?

What is Sam Pittman’s buyout?

When Sam Pittman signed his 2022 extension, AD Hunter Yurachek slid in a clever clause. If the HC’s record ever drops below .500 (excluding 2020), his buyout slashes from 75% to 50%. That means if he falls four games under .500 this season, Arkansas could fire him for roughly $9.3 million instead of nearly $19 million. That’s the kind of math boosters actually like. And if the trigger is pulled, Bobby Petrino wouldn’t just be an interim option out of convenience. He’d be an affordable one. And not everything in Fayetteville is gloom.

After the gut-punch 41-35 loss to Ole Miss, Arkansas’ offensive line huddled up on the field. Senior Fernando Carmona said center Caden Kitler reminded the group how much fun they were having together. In 2023 and 2024, the Hogs surrendered over three sacks a game. In 2025, they’ve allowed just two total through three contests, while paving the way for nearly seven yards a carry. Against Ole Miss, a team that smothered them for eight sacks last season, the Hogs gave up zero and ran for 221 yards.

That’s the paradox of Sam Pittman’s Arkansas, a coach who built his name on offensive line play may lose his job just as his linemen start looking dominant again. But the thriving offense is all the more reason to consider the Hogs OC as their interim HC to see where things can progress.