Five words during Sam Pittman’s post-Florida press conference highlighted all the lingering questions, both good and bad, the Arkansas football program has after the departure of offensive coordinator Dan Enos.
“He ran what we practiced,” Pittman said of Kenny Guiton’s first game as Arkansas play-caller. Through eight games, Arkansas had one of the worst offenses in the country. On Saturday with Guiton, the Razorbacks racked up a season-high 481 yards, scored on their final four possessions and put forth an unrecognizable performance in a 39-36 overtime win over Florida.
Where does the program go from here? There are two, very different ways Arkansas fans can digest this victory. The win alone isn’t enough to remove Pittman’s name from any ‘hot-seat’ lists featuring college football coaches. Arkansas is still 3-6 and in the midst of an incredibly disappointing season.
Pittman himself made the potentially tenure-defining mistake 11 months ago when he named Enos the offensive coordinator. The last time Arkansas played a home game, there were more boos compared to cheers. In many ways, this hole is of Pittman’s own creation.
But at the opposite end of the spectrum lies reasons for optimism in a coach and staff that may have just pulled up the anchor.
Pittman realized his catastrophe with Enos and pulled the trigger at the only doable moment in the season, with Arkansas on a bye week that gave Guiton extra time to prepare himself and the team for the change. Pittman did not wait for an offseason, knowing he might not get the chance to make such a change.
Additionally, Saturday’s performance can push Arkansas fans into a state of ‘what-ifs’.
What if Guiton had been the coordinator all season? In the win over Florida, Arkansas looked like the team that had been known for a dominant run game and a clutch quarterback. Rocket Sanders returned and the Razorbacks finished with 226 rushing yards, with Sanders accounting for 103.
Jefferson was comfortable in an up-tempo offense that highlighted his skills as a runner, finishing with 92 yards on the ground and 255 in the air.
After a litany of failures in the fourth quarter this season, Jefferson rose to the occasion Saturday. His 25-yard rushing score late in the fourth quarter gave Arkansas the lead, and after a Florida response, Jefferson marched his team down the field for a game-tying field goal. In overtime, he simply would not be denied, running over Florida defenders before finding Tyrone Broden for a four-yard score and walk-off win.
If they had fielded an offense with any pulse through the first eight games, the Razorbacks might be closer to 6-3 instead of their current record.
And finally, there is no denying that Pittman continues to extract every ounce of fight from his team. Mississippi State game aside, Arkansas has battled tooth and nail for its head coach throughout the 2023 campaign. Despite five one-possession losses and bowl eligibility on life support, Arkansas put forth an inspired performance on the road Saturday.
“Like (Pittman) always tells us, there are two kinds of people: One that quits and one that fights,” Jefferson said. “We always want to be the one that fights. Our backs were against the wall and the only thing you can do is come out swinging. We stayed together, we kept fighting and we battled.”
Three games remain. Arkansas still has hopes of reaching a bowl game and a .500 season. The fans — and the most influential members of the athletic department — will soon decide where they stand.
Was Enos just a scapegoat? Or, was he the biggest factor in any disappointment that’s transpired this fall?
After a first-ever win over Florida in Gainesville, there’s finally some momentum on the side of Coach Pittman.
“We never have had a bad football team,” Pittman said. “We’ve had some bad luck. We’ve had some bad results and bad coaching by me and things of that nature, but we’ve always had a decent team. We’re just, we’re losing games like that. And to win, that was incredible.”
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