Sam Pittman discusses health issues in injury-ravaged Arkansas secondary

The Razorbacks have fallen from the ranks of the unbeaten following a second defeat, and coach Sam Pittman has to be wondering when he might get some relief in the injury-riddled Arkansas secondary.

Already two players in the defensive backfield have been lost to injury, while two others have missed significant time with various ailments. Pittman hasn’t had many position groups as a coach hit as hard as the Razorbacks have been at safety so far.

“I mean, let me say this: season-ending injuries, no,” Pittman said. “Ones that are, you can get back, certainly we thought we would have (Myles) Slusher back earlier and we thought we had (Latavious) Brini back earlier and those things. They’re just not getting back as fast as what we thought they would.

“And of course with the two, with (LaDarrius Bishop) and (Jalen Catalon) being season-long or season-ending injuries so early in the season, (it) has been tough. I haven’t been around a position like that that is out for the year and taken that kind of length to get back.”

Catalon was one of the SEC’s best safeties, but he suffered a shoulder injury in the season opener against Cincinnati. It required surgery, sidelining him for the rest of the campaign.

Bishop, meanwhile, was lost for the season when cartilage in his knee was found that needed to be cleaned up. Pittman described the procedure he underwent as taking three to four months to recover from.

Sam Pittman managing depleted Arkansas secondary

There was only one other time in his history as a college football coach that Pittman could recall having a unit as banged up as his safety room is right now.

That came back when he was in the ACC more than a decade ago.

“No, besides when I was the O-line coach at North Carolina,” Pittman said when asked if he had a comparison. “I think we got to center number… I know we got to at least four. I don’t know if we got to Center 5. We were playing Duke at home and I know we got to No. 4. Sometimes it just happens.”

Though the last two weeks have been rough for the Razorbacks, the schedule certainly won’t allow much time for self-pity.

Arkansas is back in action this weekend against a third straight ranked opponent. A trip to No. 23 Mississippi State looms, with a noon ET kickoff Saturday on tap, with a broadcast on the SEC Network.