Arkansas football has been anything but predictable this offseason. With 25 scholarship players exiting through the transfer portal and 16 new faces coming in, there’s been plenty of drama, from Signing Day shockers to whispers of tampering and even a hip replacement for head coach Sam Pittman. As the team navigates these unpredictable times, fans are left with burning questions—some out of genuine curiosity, others driven by frustration. In this 11-question breakdown, we tackle the hot topics surrounding the Razorbacks as they gear up for 2025.
1. Are Arkansas’ Coordinators and Coaches Doing Their Job? Beau and Matthew have their takes on the coordinators, with Beau critiquing the special teams and Bobby Petrino’s offense, while Matthew holds strong faith in Petrino’s offensive brilliance. The defense under Travis Williams receives mixed reviews, but both agree the coaches need to improve in certain areas.
2. What’s the Best Strategy for Building a Team in 2025? With the transfer portal taking center stage, Arkansas has found success in snatching SEC transfers. Beau sees it as a mixed blessing, while Matthew is optimistic about the future, emphasizing the program’s use of the portal for sustainable growth.
3. Why Is Ole Miss Winning the Transfer Portal Game? Beau credits Lane Kiffin’s fearless approach to poaching players from other programs, while Matthew suspects a more questionable method—suggesting that schools like Ole Miss may have mastered the art of paying players, which gives them a recruiting edge over teams like Arkansas.
4. What’s Behind the Departures of Key Offensive Players? Despite strong play from quarterback Taylen Green, some offensive players are leaving. Beau and Matthew agree it’s a sign of the challenges the program is facing, but both remain confident in Green’s potential and Petrino’s ability to mold a more successful offense moving forward.
5. How Did Sam Pittman’s Press Conference in December 2024 Affect You? Pittman’s upbeat attitude despite a painful past season has instilled hope in fans. Both Beau and Matthew feel more optimistic after his Dec. 12 press conference, where he asked for patience and showed confidence about the team’s direction.
6. Are Turnovers a Sign of Poor Coaching, or Just Bad Luck? The Razorbacks’ turnover struggles are dissected, with Beau attributing them to both predictable playcalling and bad luck, while Matthew believes luck played a huge role, and that next season will be better.
7. Can Sam Pittman Actually Improve as a Head Coach in 2025? While his health struggles have been a hindrance, both analysts agree that Pittman’s experience and resilience could lead to improvement in 2025. His recovery from hip surgery may also give him a boost in his leadership and game-time decisions.
8. Would a Matching NIL Fund Help Pittman’s Reputation? Both Beau and Matthew agree that it would make a strong statement if Pittman were to take an active role in the NIL arena, with a little humor thrown in about what that could look like.
9. What If Sam Pittman Was Fired After the Missouri Game? Matthew believes firing Pittman would have been disastrous, leading to even worse results for Arkansas. Beau, while unsure, agrees that firing him earlier could have caused irreversible damage.
10. Would Arkansas Have Been Better If They Fired Pittman Last Season? Both analysts agree that Pittman has his shortcomings, but replacing him with someone else may not have been the answer. They note that Odom or other potential replacements might not have fared better, especially with the financial and NIL challenges teams face today.
11. Which SEC Coaches Would You Take Over Sam Pittman? When asked how many SEC coaches they’d pick over Pittman, Beau names a few, including Lane Kiffin, Kirby Smart, and Steve Sarkisian, while Matthew’s picks are more conservative. Both analysts agree that Pittman is in the middle of the pack, with a few top-tier coaches standing out.
As the Razorbacks look ahead to 2025, they’ve got some big questions to answer. Can Sam Pittman and his staff adapt? Will the transfer portal magic continue? And what will the future hold for Arkansas football in an ever-changing landscape? Stay tuned for more updates on what promises to be an electrifying season.
