Sam Pittman peels back the curtain on relationship with Jimbo Fisher
The Arkansas Razorbacks are preparing for a road test against the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday. The game will involve two head coaches who are quite familiar with one another, Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman and Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher. Pittman has great respect for Fisher and the Hogs head coach took some time in his most recent press conference to talk about how the two men have crossed paths over the years.
“Well, that’s a good question, Tom. Coach and I have visited quite a bit whenever he had a job opening. So, we had an opportunity to visit then. We have several friends that certainly know each other. So, I’m able to interact with my friends through him. Their director of football ops, Mark Robinson. He’s a friend of mine and we’re able to talk. I feel like I probably know him. Sort of like, you see a guy on TV, you know,” Pittman said.
“You may feel like you know him a little bit better than what you really do. But those interactions were from whenever he was looking for an offensive line coach. And he was talking to several guys. And then certainly since I’ve become a head coach, I’ve really respected him in the meetings and everything we’ve been able to be in of that nature. So, a lot of that is because we have similar friends. And I feel like I know him. And everything I know about him I like,” Pittman said.
Sam Pittman provides a number of injury updates
No. 10 Arkansas has been extremely banged-up defensively in the first three weeks of the season, but head coach Sam Pittman provided some reason for optimism Wednesday with a Myles Slusher injury update.
According to the second-year Arkansas head coach, Slusher should return this weekend for a road trip to No. 23 Texas A&M.
“I think so, he’s looked really good, practiced extremely well,” Pittman said. “Yes, I think he’s ready to go. We’re glad he’s back.”
Slusher was one of a couple key secondary players for the Razorbacks who were injured in the team’s season opener against then-No. 23 Cincinnati. He appeared to suffer an upper-body injury, though details about the specifics of the injury have been scant.
The Hogs also lost safety Jalen Catalon for the season to a shoulder injury in that game. Catalon was one of the SEC’s top safeties.
But the Myles Slusher injury update wasn’t the only one Pittman provided on Wednesday.
Injury Update: DL Jashaud Stewart also expected back
Along with Slusher, defensive lineman Jashaud Stewart could also make his return this weekend against the Aggies. Pittman was optimistic he will play after missing last week’s game against Missouri State.
“I am, yeah,” Pittman said. “I think he’ll be fine.”
Stewart had recorded two tackles this season, while appearing in both the Cincinnati and South Carolina games. Slusher had recorded three in the team’s season opener.
Slusher will be the more significant piece returning of the two. He recorded 50 tackles, 0.5 sacks, two interceptions and four passes defended in 2021. Stewart chipped in seven tackles a year ago.
Arkansas and Texas A&M are set to kick off at 7 p.m. ET and the game will be nationally televised on ESPN.
On3 Staff Reports also contributed to this article.