A devastating 13-56 loss against Notre Dame on Saturday was the final straw. It was the end for Sam Pittman‘s time in Arkansas. The latest three game losing streak was enough for the management to decide his fate. However, his dismissal earned him sympathy, especially from a Georgia Bulldogs legend.

After the game against Notre Dame, fans loudly booed the Razorbacks. This was because Notre Dame completely outplayed Arkansas on its own ground . Lights out performances from CJ Carr, JaDarian Price, and Jeremiyah Love ensured a dominating victory for the Fighting Irish. A victory that came at the expense of Pittman’s job. Former Georgia legend David Pollack shared his thoughts on the matter, saying he felt bad for Pittman as “he’s one of the really good dudes in the sport” on his YouTube channel.

Pollack called out Arkansas’ dismal performance against Notre Dame. “How about this. 42 points, 420 yards of offense. Carr, 16 of 22 for 292, four touchdowns. Jeremiyah Love, four touchdowns. That was the first half.” Pollack continued by saying that Arkansas always finds “a way to mess it up with drops, with penalties, with fumbles.” Notre Dame scoring in all six of its first-half drives was probably the last nail in the coffin for Pittman’s career at Arkansas. “I feel bad for Sam Pittman because he is one of the really good dudes in the sport but it was a bad look,” Pollack said. Pittman will end his six-year tenure with a 32-34 record leading the program.

While the struggles were real under Pittman, it wasn’t the case some years ago. Fans hailed him as a savior for rescuing Arkansas from the depths. In his second season, Arkansas went 9–4, won the Outback Bowl, and finished ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time in a decade. That success gave fans hope that the Razorbacks were back on the rise. He also ended their 20-game losing streak in the SEC. So, he did have success with the team. But the eventual downfall over the years led to this point.

As of now, offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has been named as the interim coach. Petrino gets another shot at a program where he went 34-17 across four years, including consecutive double-digit-victory seasons in 2010 and 2011.

How much will Sam Pittman be paid?

Sam Pittman’s departure will come with significant financial implications for the Razorbacks. He signed a contract extension in 2022. According to it, Pittman would be with the program until 2026, and it was automatically extended to 2027 when Arkansas won 7 games in 2022. The contract increased his annual salary to $5.5 million.

The buyout clause stipulates that if the university fires him before 2027, he would be paid 75% of the money owed only if his post-2021 record is better than .500 at the time of firing. Otherwise, a below .500 record will only give Pittman 50% of the remaining money. Since his record is 29-27 from 2021, Pittman’s buyout is priced at approximately $9.3 million. Otherwise he would have been paid only $5.7 million.

It is not clear what the future holds for him now. He might take this time off to understand where he went wrong and reset his playbook. Or he might make his presence on a new team in a different role. Reports suggest Auburn is eyeing him for an offensive coach role under Hugh Freeze.