Sam Pittman looking forward to facing off against Bobby Petrino, Missouri State

Arkansas faces FCS Missouri State this weekend, who are led by head coach Bobby Petrino, who had a 4 year head coaching stint with Arkansas from 2008 to 2011. Razorback’s head coach Sam Pittman spoke about Petrino and how he’s contributed to Arkansas historically.

“We’re excited to play Missouri State, last time Arkansas was relevant relevant was when coach Petrino was here and we’re very grateful for his time here and what he did for the program. We’ve used that in recruiting and without him and his staff we wouldn’t have been able to do that, so it’ll be exciting for him I’m sure to come back here,” Pittman said.

Pittman also spoke about Missouri State and their recent success and isn’t taking the Bears lightly.

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“They’ve got a good team, ranked seventh in the FCS and have a good team and went to the playoffs last year, almost beat Oklahoma State last year, beginning of the year, and Oklahoma State beat Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl,” Pittman said. “So we know we have to be ready for a fine team coming in here.”

Petrino joined Missouri State as the head coach in 2020 and brought them to the playoffs for the first time since 1990 in his very first season at the helm. The Bears made back-to-back playoff appearances in 2020 and 2021, as they start this season undefeated through two games.

“He’s a great coach, he was when he was here and went to the Falcons and Louisville. They tried several different people before him and he’s been able to go in there and get them to the playoffs. He’s just a really good coach, he’s got a good staff and went into the transfer portal and got a lot of players there and I’m sure they went there because of his reputation as a coach. So it’s been really a great job that he’s done there and I’m sure will continue to do,” Pittman said.

Pittman has coached against former teams that he’s previously coached for in Missouri and Georgia, and was asked what it was like going up against those teams similar to what Petrino will experience this Saturday.

“Well I think it’s different Bob to be honest with you if you go back and you know the staff, and you know the people on the staff. I think it’s a little bit different with me going back and knowing Kirby, there’s different emotions because you wanna win, that’s your friend, he helped you become a head coach, you know what I mean, and where coach and I don’t know each other,” Pittman said.

Pittman believes that is a better question for Petrino in this case, but made it clear he’s looking forward to the matchup, and even joked with some media members following the question.

“I mean you’d have to ask him, but I’d think there’d be a little bit of a difference just because you’re not going back to a university where you actually know guys on staff. Now coach I’m sure knows a lot of people still here, all ya’ll, maybe a lot of you,” Pittman joked. “Not you, you’re probably too young, but you’re not so he should know you.”