Arkansas coaching search: ESPN insider Pete Thamel reveals Razorbacks are in 'the final stages' of hiring next coach

Arkansas may soon have its next head football coach. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Razorbacks’ search is nearing the finish line as the program looks to officially move on from the Sam Pittman era.

Appearing on The Paul Finebaum Show Friday, Thamel offered a significant update that suggests an announcement could come at any moment: “I would think that one wraps up relatively — relatively soon,” Thamel said. “It appears they’re in the final stages there now. I wouldn’t be surprised if we got some clarity on that one this weekend.”

Arkansas has operated with urgency ever since firing Pittman in the middle of his sixth season and naming Bobby Petrino the interim head coach. The decision came days after a nationally televised blowout loss to Notre Dame, a performance that athletic director Hunter Yurachek bluntly labeled unacceptable.

“It wasn’t a Razorback football performance that any of us were proud of, and that ultimately falls at the feet of the head coach,” Yurachek said. He called the firing “a really tough day” for Pittman and the program at the time.

Moreover, Pittman left Fayetteville with a 32–34 overall record and a 14–29 mark in SEC play. Early in his tenure, Arkansas often earned praise for being competitive, especially in close games. But as Yurachek explained, those narrow defeats eventually became a liability, not a sign of progress.

“He had gotten a lot of credit for those one-score losses, but at some point I had to hold him accountable for those one-score losses as well,” he said. “The culmination of what happened on Saturday and then a couple more one-score losses, one at Memphis, one at Ole Miss. It just felt like it was time to make a change.”

With the Razorbacks now deep into their search, several names have surfaced as potential options. Among them are Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, USF’s Alex Golesh, North Texas head coach Eric Morris, Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein and Tulane’s Jon Sumrall. All bring varying levels of success and upside, which seem to be traits Arkansas is intent on prioritizing.

If Thamel’s timeline holds, Razorback fans may not have to wait long to find out who will lead the program into their new era. Perhaps Virginia Tech’s hiring of James Franklin is going to help move things along.

Obviously, Franklin won’t be coming to Fayetteville, like some wished, but an announcement could come as soon as this weekend if the ESPN insider’s words ring true. Whoever it may be, the next leader of the Razorbacks will be expected to win, and win big.

— On3’s Thomas Goldkamp contributed to this article.