Sam Pittman is out at Arkansas just five games into his sixth season as coach of the Razorbacks. The decision came one day after Arkansas suffered a 56-13 loss to Notre Dame, which dropped it to 2-3 on the year.
The Hogs started a crucial campaign off on the right foot with a pair of easy wins against overmatched opponents in Arkansas A&M and Arkansas State, but the latest loss to Notre Dame extended their losing streak to three straight against Power Four competition.
Pittman finished his career as Arkansas coach just under .500 with a 32-34 mark during his time in Fayetteville. Arkansas lost three of its first five games for just the second time since 2020.
While the offense has taken significant strides, the defense remains a complete mess. Entering Saturday’s slate, Arkansas ranked near the bottom of the SEC in pass defense (213.5 yards per game), rush defense (157.5 yards per game) and scoring defense (23.5 points per game). Those defensive struggles have the Hogs spiraling.
So how much will it cost Arkansas now that it made the decision to pull the plug on Pittman?
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Will Backus
Sam Pittman contract, buyout details
Pittman signed a new contract with Arkansas in June 2022 on the heels of his most successful season at Arkansas and one of the best records (9-4) the program has seen over the last 13 years. The deal extended Pittman through the 2026 season automatically and added another year to 2027 when he won seven games in 2022.
It also increased Pittman’s annual salary to $5 million and adjusted his buyout structure. Since Arkansas made the decision to fire Pittman while he had a record above .500 since the 2021 season, it will owe him approximately $9.3 million in buyout money. If the Razorbacks waited for that record since 2021 to drop below .500, the figure would have been closer to $5.7 million.
Pittman’s record since 2021 is 29-27.
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