Sam Pittman discusses 2-point conversion try, loss to Ole Miss

When his team scored six points as time expired on Saturday, second-year Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman was forced to make a decision. 

Pittman could kick an extra point, potentially tying what was an electric shootout game against Ole Miss at 52 points each, or he could go for the 2-point conversion and the win. Pittman chose the latter, and his team failed to convert, suffering their second straight loss after a 4-0 start.

During his media availability following the game, Pittman explained his decision making and the play the Razorbacks drew up.

“You have a pitch, and then you have a route, and then you have the option of the quarterback to keep the ball,” Pittman said in his postgame media availability. “I like the play, I liked it all week. Our offense was ready for it, and basically we felt like the pitch was there. I don’t know if it was or not. I have to go back and look at the tape.”

The Razorbacks snapped the ball to quarterback KJ Jefferson, and within seconds, he had two defenders in his face. Jefferson threw the ball out of the back of the end zone, and the Rebels escaped with the 1-point win.

Pandemonium. pic.twitter.com/hVnWWqHM3h

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) October 9, 2021

“We thought we could score just pitching the ball out there, and the end our read did not go out, so he came straight up the field and got in our face a little bit, probably,” Pittman added. “I don’t know, I’d have to look at it to see if we should’ve pitched the ball or not on that. But it was just a three-option, loaded front offensively, and we weren’t able to execute it.”

The touchdown-scoring play that set up the 2-point try was a 9-yard pass from quarterback KJ Jefferson to receiver Warren Thompson made possible by an incompletion on the previous play which left a single second on the clock.

Jefferson, who played today in his home state of Mississippi, threw for 326 yards, three touchdowns to three different receivers and an interception with a 71.4% completion percentage. He added 85 yards and three additional touchdowns with his legs. After just 65 passing yards last week, it was a valiant comeback effort by the sophomore. 

Treylon Burks continues to dazzle for Arkansas. He had seven receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown on Saturday.

Arkansas is now 4-2 on the year and 1-2 in the SEC. They host Auburn in Fayetteville next weekend beginning at 11:00 a.m. CT.