Fayetteville, Arkansas — Don’t expect Arkansas coach Sam Pittman to be sitting around waiting for Christmas surprises. He’s had enough in the last two weeks to keep him going for a while.
Following the turmoil with running back Braylen Russell, Pittman’s recounting of things Monday from Memphis appeared to be a last opportunity for the Benton freshman. That was probably his last shot for the transfer portal drama this year.
“We wanted to make sure that it was the last and final time,” Pittman told me. He did not say whether that included a portal opening in the spring or anything else. Given how quickly things are moving, they may make it available at any point.
Pittman is in Memphis for Friday’s Liberty Bowl clash with Texas Tech. The Red Raiders did not even join the old Southwest Conference until 1956, therefore they are not playing an opponent from nearly a century ago.
Oh, there were some dramatic games. Perhaps the most dramatic came in 1966 at Lubbock, when Jon Brittenum was stopped on a few late-game tries from the Red Raiders’ 1-yard line. It was incredible for a Razorbacks team that had been in the national championship race for three years in a row and was attempting to return to the Cotton Bowl for the third time.
Fans alleged that the officials were calling things against the Hogs. Exactly what escapes the memory bank because there was always something following a loss. Arkansas hasn’t lost many games because the opposing team was better. It was always about the officiating.
Aside from that, there were few games that stood out. Oh, there was the 1977 game in which Lou Holtz needed a win to secure an Orange Bowl berth for what was, in my opinion, the best Razorback squad in program history. Larry Jackson, a middle linebacker, played an outstanding game on Thanksgiving Day, laying the groundwork for one of our most memorable moments.
A few days after Christmas, they played them in a bowl game that most people regard as an exciting but meaningless contest. Pittman simply wanted this game for 15 more practices to get a better look at some of the guys before deciding on his spring practice plans. Coaches like to win because a 6-6 score is always more satisfying than a 6-7 score.
Bret Bielema and Jeff Long demonstrated in 2014 that even dumb contracts can be crafted in the aftermath of a meaningless bowl victory between two ordinary teams, with ramifications a decade later. Even leading to the stadium’s expansion at one end, which is likely still not fully paid for, as board member David Pryor predicted.
None of this worries Pittman. He simply doesn’t want to hear the word “portal” for a long. With the exception of finding replacements for key players who have left.
As of Christmas Eve, the Hogs had 27 players who had departed the portal. Many of them have yet to arrive anyplace else, but there is still time to sort that out. Arkansas has signed 15 players, none of whom have demonstrated that they can compete at the championship level in an SEC schedule.
No wonder Pittman dislikes surprises. Most of those haven’t worked out well for him, and he probably doesn’t want to take the risk again.