"He never will be a head coach again": Paul Finebaum issues stern assessment of fired Sam Pittman amid major overhaul at Arkansas

American sports analyst Paul Finebaum offered a critical evaluation on former Arkansas coach Sam Pittman one day after he was fired by the team following a disappointing six-season tenure at Fayetteville.

The renowned sports columnist expressed belief that the 63-year old tactician will never be hired again as head coach despite the feel-good atmosphere during his work as Razorbacks coach.

“He’s never been a head coach. He never will be a head coach again," Finebaum said during his appearance on "McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning." "He was having the time of his life. Everybody loves him. He loves the job. And, by the way, he did extend his stay. It didn’t work, but he gave it a shot, and I can’t blame him for that."

He believed Pittman was forced into acquiring former Arkansas coach and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who was subsequently named interim coach.

Petrino will have another chance on the Razorbacks coaching job after he was fired in 2012 due to a controversy with a former student-athlete development coordinator that was uncovered when they were involved in a motorcycle accident.

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Four-star linebacker decommits to Arkansas after Sam Pittman firing

The ouster of Sam Pittman has a residual effect on Arkansas' future after one highly-regarded commit decided to withdraw from playing with the Razorbacks next season.

Four-star linebacker JJ Bush announced he is decommitting from Arkansas hours after Pittman's firing was made public. Bush, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound defender, was touted as the highest-ranked recruit in the program's 2026 recruiting class, per Rivals recruiting analyst Hayes Fawcett.

The Alabama native is rated as the 15th best linebacker in the class of 2025 and Pittman secured his commitment on July 2. Bush's decommitment meant that he'll now be available for 38 other programs who offered him to play for next season, including Alabama, LSU and Miami.

Pittman had a disappointing stint in Fayetteville, where he went 32-34 in six seasons. His best performance as a coach was in 2021 when he guided the Razorbacks to a 9-4 record, en route to winning the Outback Bowl.

Arkansas had a promising start to the season, winning over Alabama A&M and Arkansas State with a pair of 50-point games. However, the Razorbacks came back to earth with losses to Ole Miss, Memphis and Notre Dame, forcing the athletic department's hand to release the veteran coach.