The ghost of 2024 has followed Sam Pittman into this season. A 20-10 loss to Texas that put Arkansas 5-5 fueled fans’ fury. They rallied for his dismissal, even renting out a Billboard on Interstate 49 to thank him for “5 great years” as they seek a “change to compete in SEC.” It literally means thank you, next please. The HC sits at 30-31 since 2020, still winless in SEC play above .500. Still, after a rollercoaster season that ended in 7-6 and a bowl berth, the Razorbacks decided to roll the dice on Year 6 for their HC. So what happens now?

Despite the hot seat narrative, Sam Pittman’s players aren’t blinking. QB Taylen Green, in an August 8 interview with Brandon Marcello posted on X, didn’t shy away from the challenge that is Arkansas’ 2025 slate. “The opportunity is there every single week,” he said when asked about the Razorbacks’ opportunities this upcoming season. “And we’re probably gonna be the underdog in most games. But at the same time, we ain’t got none to lose. We can, that’s all we are saying is, just be the more tougher team. And as Coach Pitt says, they gotta play us.” He isn’t promising miracles but he’s promising a fight. 

That fight is going to be tested early. Arkansas opens conference play at Ole Miss, squeezes a trip to Memphis between Notre Dame and the Rebels, then barrels into a gauntlet of Tennessee, Texas A&M, LSU, and Texas. Brandon Marcello on CBS Sports has the Hogs’ SEC slate as the third toughest in the conference. ESPN calls it the fifth hardest in the nation and Phil Steele says only two SEC teams have it worse. Their schedule is such that six wins might be a miracle, not a benchmark. And here’s why. 

There’s almost no breathing room. The ‘easy’ nonconference game against Arkansas State is loaded with in-state bragging rights drama, since Arkansas has famously avoided the Red Wolves for decades. Add in last year’s national runner-up Notre Dame coming to Fayetteville, plus road trips to Tennessee, LSU, and Texas, all projected top-15 teams, and suddenly even winnable games feel like coin flips. The back-to-back November road stretch at LSU and Texas is a potential season-breaker. 

Still, Sam Pittman’s keeping the poker face. “Great opportunity. A lot of hard games in there, especially where you play them,” he told reporters at SEC Media Days. “But at the same time, we have a great opportunity. It’s not all about, a lot of times, about who you’re playing. They’ve got to play the Arkansas Razorbacks, too.” Even DT Cam Ball acknowledged the tough slate. “This is my fifth year,” he said. “I can say throughout all my time with being at Arkansas, we had to be top-five of having the toughest schedule.” Arkansas is fully aware that eight wins is what it takes to stay out of unflattering conversations. But is it legit to even expect that?

Sam Pittman gets ultimatum on his hot seat

After the turbulence of 2024, On3’s Ari Wasserman didn’t hesitate to slot Sam Pittman into his top four coaches under the most pressure heading into 2025, a list dominated by SEC names. USA TODAY piled on, predicting the Razorbacks will finish 14th out of 16 in the league. On That SEC Podcast, Cousin Shane offered his blunt blueprint for survival. “Not just the six-and-six Music Motor—whatever they call it,” he cracked, referring to Arkansas’ typical bowl ceiling. He wants blood, maybe a Notre Dame upset in Little Rock, an A&M ambush, or a shocker against LSU. “If you’re putting a number on it, I would say eight wins maybe,” he said. 

His co-host, SEC Mike, agreed. “Yeah, that’s right where I was going to say — eight and four,” he stated. “Again, that’s not the standard, but given this schedule, given where things are at right now, I think eight and four would be viewed largely as a success.” Not elite, but a big enough leap to change the conversation. Sam Pittman’s not ducking the heat. He admitted at SEC Media Days that “most everything a guy brings on him, he brings on himself.”

Only Kirby Smart and Mark Stoops have survived a decade in this league, and Sam Pittman knows why. “To consider that you’re going to coach somewhere for 10 years in the SEC? You’re a fool,” he said. For now, the path forward is brutally simple. Shock somebody big, pile up enough wins to limp into a respectable bowl, and keep the boosters at bay for one more year. In the SEC, you don’t get to play for the long haul, it’s the next Saturday that’s the focus. Mess it up and the frustrated fanbase might rally another Billboard protest.