Sam Pittman’s Arkansas Razorbacks are predicted to pull off four shocking upsets against SEC powerhouses in 2025. Jacob Davis predicted that Pittman’s boys would be sealing victories against Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri. But poor Razorbacks squad. Right now, the program has been bogged down by personal losses. They got hit by one of them recently. That’s when Pittman’s compassionate side came to the fore. To cope with the loss, the head coach cancelled the practice. What exactly are the Razorbacks fighting beyond the gridiron?

Pittman rescheduled a mock game for Friday to free up time for the team on Saturday. The Razorbacks will be paying a visit to CJ Brown’s dad, Carson Brown’s funeral, who died on August 12 in Springfield, Mo. On August 27, the Arkansas insider for On3, Daniel Fair, tweeted, “Sam Pittman said both C.J. Brown and Cam Ball will wear something extra on the back of their jerseys to represent both of their fathers, who passed away this year. Pittman said he canceled practice on Saturday so the team could go to CJ’s dad’s funeral.”

Pittman’s wide receiver’s dad was an avid Texas Longhorns fan since he grew up in Austin. But the Razorbacks are now moved by his demise and Brown’s loss. However, the young chap is not allowing his personal setback to affect his dedication towards Pittman’s plan for their 2025 run. As fellow receiver Kam Shanks said, “He’s still acting the same, laughing. I think us being around him and just bringing the joy out of him, kind of like, takes his mind off of it during practice.” This marks the second personal tragedy in Pittman’s Arkansas within the past few months. 

Cam Ball started all 13 games in 2024, registering a career-high 47 tackles, including four for loss and 1.5 sacks. However, he had his own battles to fight. Pittman’s defensive linemen’s father, Charles Ball, was diagnosed with cancer in March 2024. He died earlier this summer. Ball’s father’s health had deteriorated in the previous winter, for which he spent plenty of time in the hospital. And in that crucial moment after having a conversation with his dad, he chose to stay committed to Pittman’s program.

As Ball recalled, “I talked to him about it, being in the hospital with him, and all the offers and stuff were coming in. But my dad told me to stay, and I stayed. Not only because of me, but because of my father as well. When I committed to this university, my family did and my whole family fell in love with it.” Ball and Brown’s dad played a huge role in molding them into what they are today, making them important weapons in Arkansas. So, it’s just Pittman’s gesture of showing their respect for the departed souls. 

Sam Pittman’s star, fight to return stronger

Ball started all 13 games and registered a career-high 47 tackles, including four for loss and 1.5 sacks. Pittman’s defensive lineman already has multiple honors under his belt, like the 2024 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll and the 2025 Preseason All-SEC Second Team (Phil Steele), among others. His peak moment last season came during a Liberty Bowl win over Texas Tech when he registered five tackles and a quarterback hurry.

And not just Pittman; his defensive coordinator, Travis Williams, has become Ball’s biggest fan. He said, “He’s unbelievable. Cam is gonna be like successful. He’s gonna, he’s gonna play on Sundays. He’s gonna have probably a successful business or run some type of successful program or be in politics or something. I don’t know, but he is a great human being. He lights up the room. It’s hard to find, and that’s something that needs to be celebrated.” 

The 323-pound DL missed all of spring with an elbow injury and sat out the first scrimmage with an AC sprain. Recovering from injury, he got to recover from a broken heart now. In this healing process, he will get the support of an empathetic coach like Pittman. After all, the head coach knows that the Razorbacks have to go a long way, and they should come off as the strongest force. 

As Sam Pittman shared, “Roll that [football] out there, and let’s see what happens. That’s fine. We don’t need to be ranked if you don’t want to rank us. We’ll surprise a lot of people.” Here’s hoping the universe speeds the healing process for the Razorbacks as they push forward without their biggest cheerleaders, their fathers, by their side.