John Calipari rejoices over time with Sam Pittman, worries about Arkansas football schedule

John Calipari is a big fan of Sam Pittman and getting ingrained in Arkansas culture and of course the football team.

However, the new Razorbacks’ basketball coach is a little worried about Arkansas’ loaded SEC and overall schedule. If only you could be a fly on the wall for their conversations.

At least that’s how Calipari hyped up his relationship with beloved football coach. But he does have his worries about the schedule.

“Great guy, love him, love him,” Pittman said. “We had more fun together last night … Sam’s a good guy. They have a really tough schedule. I said, ‘They didn’t do you any favors.’ The schedule they have is ridiculous.”

Pittman shook off a rocky 2020 season amid the COVID-shortened campaign to go 9-4 in 2021 and 7-6 in ‘22. With back to back bowl wins, there were expectations in 2023.

However, Arkansas was one of the more disappointing teams in the SEC, going 4-8 and Pittman elected to relieve offensive coordinator Dan Enos from his duties.

Some of the eye opening games for Arkansas in 2024 include road dates with Oklahoma State, Auburn and Missouri. Not to mention some home games with Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas coming to Fayetteville.

The expectations might’ve softened going into the 2024 season as On3’s Andy Staples feels the ceiling of Arkansas is a “decent bowl team.”

“This one could go ‘pretty decent bowl team’ or the bottom falls out completely,” Staples said.

For his part, Cody Bellaire emphasized that the Razorbacks are going to be reliant on Taylen Green, a transfer quarterback from Boise State who is replacing KJ Jefferson.

That could be a make or break move for Pittman.

“But the guy that changes the temperature for this team is the transfer from Boise State. It’s Taylen Green,” Bellaire said. “There’s a world in which that guy is a genuine game changer and keeps Sam Pittman’s job alive if he’s able to do some of the things.”

In 2023 at Boise State, Green had 1,752 yards passing and 11 touchdowns. He also rushed for 436 yards and nine touchdowns.

“Yes, you bring in a guy like Taylen Green. I think there’s a world where he can create. I think he might have a little more twitch to him than KJ Jefferson does…KJ Jefferson was a bulldozer,” Bellaire said. “I think Taylen Green’s got a little more twitch to his game, maybe can be a little more creative in the run game with him, but to say he’s gonna bring this team to seven or eight wins, I think, that’s a bit of a stretch.”