Sam Pittman Warned of Major Struggle for Week 2 After Raising Expectations for Bobby Petrino’s Taylen Green Offense

It has been a good start for Sam Pittman in 2025. Arkansas walked off with a 52-7 win over Alabama A&M. But it’s still a cautionary tale heading into Week 2 against their in-state rival Arkansas State for their very first clash at War Memorial Stadium. The Razorbacks are the established ‘big brother’ expected to dominate while the Red Wolves come with a nothing-to-lose mentality. History may be blank, but this one could rewrite it and the HC knows the margin for error is slim.

Even analysts are wary. On That SEC Podcast on September 4, Shane and Mike dissected Arkansas’ season opener and came away concerned. “Only problem is that defense, man,” Shane pointed out. “I feel like they’re going to give a few more points this week and because of that, I don’t quite like that spread. Give me Arkansas getting 45, but Arkansas State getting 27.” Mike also delivered his take, pointing to the fast drives allowed by Alabama A&M. “Because with old Alabama A&M is going up and down the field on you. Again, it was the opener,” he said. And then, there’s the War Memorial Stadium’s quirks. “They don’t want to play here anymore is because it just doesn’t quite have the same home field advantage,” he added. But more than anything, it’s the defense that’s raising the question mark here. 

The numbers back that up. Arkansas allowed Alabama A&M to march down the field for a touchdown in under four minutes on the opening drive. Overall, the Razorbacks’ defense surrendered 235 yards while allowing the Bulldogs to consistently move the ball at pace. Linebackers were slow to react, the defensive line failed to generate pressure, and the secondary only settled in after early mistakes. Arkansas State’s offense, which averages 492 yards per game and 42 points, could expose these weaknesses quickly. If the Hogs’ defense doesn’t tighten up, the little brother might make big bro sweat.

Sam Pittman himself didn’t sugarcoat it. “We just didn’t have any production,” he said post game. “We’ve got to do some things. If that’s what it’s going to be, we’ve got to do some things defensively that are moving them… We saw some flashes, but flashes aren’t enough.” The absence of veteran tackle David Oke certainly compounds the issue, but the HC emphasized gap discipline, front-seven disruption, and finishing plays as must-improve areas before Saturday. Still, while the defense worries loom large, Arkansas’ offense showed it can carry the team under Bobby Petrino’s brilliance and Taylen Green’s execution. 

Sam Pittman sees rising hype on Arkansas’ offense

If the defense is shaky, the offense is why fans are packing the stands. Taylen Green threw six touchdown passes in the opener, while redshirt freshman KJ Jackson added another, giving the Razorbacks their first seven-TD game since Brandon Allen and Dak Prescott’s 2015 showdown. The Razorbacks rolled up 552 total yards, 12th nationally, with 358 yards through the air (11th).

Sam Pittman praised Taylen Green’s execution but stressed cleanup is needed. “Offensively I thought Taylen played really well. We had no turnovers,” he said. “I thought out offensive line, the two sacks were not in the offensive line. We had a mental error in the backfield on the first one. The second one we protected well and it was more of a coverage sack there.” The offensive firepower is undeniable, but it’s paired with a defense that could give Arkansas State room to exploit and potentially steal momentum.

The stakes are high. Arkansas State is solid, motivated, and ready to challenge the Hogs in a stadium where even Arkansas has struggled. History will be written Saturday, and Sam Pittman knows it won’t be easy.