Sam Pittman gives hilarious response when asked about Arkansas vs. Georgia
Another week, another dominant performance by Sam Pittman and the Arkansas Razorbacks, who defeated No. 7 Texas A&M, 20-10, in a gusty performance that could very well launch Arkansas into the top-ten for the first time since 2012.
After Arkansas’ latest victory, which brings its record to 4-0, the Razorbacks have an extremely tough test ahead of them: Pittman and company will travel to Athens, Georgia, to face the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs, who enter the matchup fresh off a historic, 62-0 beatdown of the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Pittman made one thing clear in Arkansas’ postgame press conference on Saturday: he has not yet started thinking about Georgia.
“I’m not even thinking about Georgia,” Pittman said, still elated with the Arkansas Razorbacks’ fourth victory. “Kirby, he won 100-0 today or whatever. I mean, Kirby will be ready to go. I’m — we’ll wait for tomorrow.”
It wasn’t quite 100-0, but at one point in the first quarter the game certainly appeared to be heading in that direction. Georgia led 35-0 after one quarter; both quarterback JT Daniels and Stetson Bennet threw for nine-plus completions, over 125 yards and a touchdown (Daniels had two); five rushers — including a tight end — tallied a rushing touchdown; and Georgia’s offense outgained Vanderbilt in total yards by an astonishing 532-to-77 tally. Pittman should have his hands full in containing Georgia next week.
Pittman has revitalized the Arkansas football program in just a year’s time. Formerly an offensive line coach at Missouri, Kansas, Northern Illinois, North Carolina, Teennessee, Arkansas and most recently Georgia, to name a few, Pittman dreamt of being a head coach but never received the opportunity until Arkansas came calling in 2020. He inherited a team with an SEC losing streak of over 20 games, and a cumulative 4-20 overall record in the two seasons prior.
Pittman cracks jokes in Arkansas’ postgame press conference
After a 3-7 debut season, Pittman and the Arkansas Razorbacks have started out the 2021 season 4-0. Pittman seems to be having fun doing it, too. In Saturday’s postgame press conference, the media erupted in laughter when Pittman was distracted amidst a reporter’s question, and he apologized, saying “I was looking at my wife.”
Pittman had a large bandage on the side of his hand, and his wife must have noticed the minor ailment. She decided to jump in the press conference, asking her husband a question: “I’ve got a question,” she asked, “what happened to your hand?”
“Honey, you’re not, uh,” Pittman smiled and looked away, and the Arkansas media again broke out in laughter, cutting off his answer.
“Nothing. I got in a fight with my wife,” he joked. “Oh no, don’t say that. Nope! Whoops!”
Pittman laughed as he joked about the injury, but he later clarified that the bandage came as a result of a sideline collision, one that ended with Pittman needing minor medical attention.
“I’m soft,” Pittman said. “I shouldn’t need anything covered up. The coach is soft.”
Pittman, Arkansas pick up second ranked win
Just two weeks after routing the then-No. 15 Texas Longhorns, 40-21, Arkansas picked up another ranked victory against No. 7 Texas A&M. Pittman was very excited with his team’s performance, including starting quarterback KJ Jefferson, who completed seven of 15 passes for 212 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Perhaps more impressive than Jefferson’s performance, however, was his ability to fight through an injury sustained in the game and return to play. Jefferson came up limping after being tackled early in the second half, and he missed a few plays — but he would later return, run through a defender and secure what would become the game-ending first down.
“Really happy with the team’s toughness,” Pittman said after the game. “Our toughness showed tonight.”