Where did Sam Pittman play college football? Arkansas HC's early career explored

Sam Pittman, who's coaching the SEC's Arkansas Razorbacks, played defensive end for three years at Pittsburg State. He was elevated to the school's athletic Hall of Fame in 1998 and received NAIA All-American honors in his senior year.

The best result team-wise came in his sophomore year when the school had a 10-2 record but lost the NAIA Division I championship game. He played under two head coaches: Ron Randleman and Bruce Polen.

Polen was previously the defensive coordinator and recruited Pittman into the school. When he was promoted to the head coaching position, he had the young player accompany him on recruiting trips.

Since then, the future coach seemed to have a natural ability to play the recruiting game, with his coach saying:

"Sam had just great people skills. The first time you meet him, you think you’ve been his friend for a long time. That’s one of the reasons I believe he’s probably the No. 1 college recruiter in the country."

Pittman started his coaching journey at his alma mater just after his graduation in 1984. He was a graduate assistant there for two seasons.

From there, he had a long coaching career that took him to schools like Georgia, Oklahoma and Tennessee. In 2020, he took his first job as a college football head coach when he joined the Arkansas Razorbacks.

In three and a half seasons with the Hogs, Pittman has a record of 21-21, bringing them bowl victories in 2021 and 2022.

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Sam Pittman and the Hogs' 2023 season so far

Arkansas seemed on an upward trajectory in the last two years, with a 9-4 record and an Outback Bowl victory in 2021 and a 7-6 record with a Liberty Bowl win in 2022.

Fans and experts were expecting a big season from the Razorbacks in 2023, considering that they brought a core of veteran players and at the center of it three-year starter KJ Jefferson at quarterback.

The season started with the Hogs winning two easy encounters against Western California and Kent State.

From there, the Razorbacks season derailed with a Week 3 defeat to BYU. While the Cougars were Arkansas' first Power Five opponent, many expected them to come out on top. The Hogs lost in the fourth quarter a game they had controlled for large swaths, losing 38-31.

From there, a four-game losing streak followed, with three defeats to SEC opponents. Arkansas lost to LSU, Texas A&M and Ole Miss, and Sam Pittman's seat is starting to feel somewhat hot. A season that started with hopes of finishing in the AP top 25 now looks doubtful to offer a postseason game.

Week 7 brings probably the most difficult game of the Hogs' season, as they travel to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama.