After a brutal season, it seems that Arkansas has finally found a replacement for Sam Pittman. USF head coach Alex Golesh has reportedly agreed to take the job. However, Golesh wasn’t the Razorbacks’ first choice. In fact, Arkansas initially targeted someone else, but he rejected the offer for another program.

After a 2-3 start, Arkansas decided to fire Sam Pittman, a decision that would come back to haunt them. The Razorbacks lost six straight games after that. So, a replacement was needed, and Alex Golesh emerged as the final piece. Still, he wasn’t the first head coach to be targeted by the Razorbacks, according to Barstool Sports insider Liam Blutman.

Blutman revealed in a post on X that Arkansas actually offered the role to North Texas head coach Eric Morris. Under Morris, the Mean Green is topping the AAC with a 10-1 overall record. Morris has transformed North Texas into an offensive machine, which has led them to get ranked No.1 in points in the country (46.3). Naturally, his contributions got a lot of attention and offers, especially from Arkansas. However, he rejected the role, probably because he had Oklahoma State in his mind.

Morris’ decision to take the helm at Oklahoma State received widespread praise. Even Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes applauded the move. The two share a long history dating back to Mahomes’ time at Texas Tech, when Morris served as the offensive coordinator there.

“I think he has a good feel for making you comfortable. I think that’s the biggest thing. I mean, he obviously can see talent. You look at all the quarterbacks he’s been with through all the different stops he’s been in. But he gives you confidence to go out there and be yourself and play the game the way you’re supposed to play.

“He’ll change the offense for that. So it’s not surprising to me that he’s had so much success. And he’s had a ton of success this year in North Texas. So I’m sure that he’ll continue to have success, either at North Texas or wherever he ends up,” Mahomes said in an interview.

With Eric Morris’ future now set at Oklahoma State, Arkansas has turned to Alex Golesh to help solve the Razorbacks’ struggles.

Alex Golesh agrees to a deal with Arkansas – Report

According to longtime Arkansas Razorbacks beat reporter Trey Schaap, USF football head coach and former Tennessee offensive coordinator Alex Golesh has accepted an offer to be the next head coach at Arkansas. There is no official confirmation of the move yet.

If true, it could be a huge boost for the struggling Razorbacks, who haven’t even crossed the three-win mark this season. They sit dead last at 2-9, a stark contrast to last year’s 7-6 finish. Ironically, both wins came under Sam Pittman, who was fired after a 56-13 loss to Notre Dame in Week 5.

In just his third season in charge, Golesh has led USF to fourth place in the AAC with an 8-3 record. His USF contract spans six years, a $15.3 million deal he signed in 2022, which pays him $2.5 million annually for the first three years. It remains unclear how USF and Arkansas will handle the remaining terms of that contract.