Sam Pittman reflects on his time at Cincinnati, his relationship with Luke Fickell ahead Arkansas opener

One of the most anticipated Week 1 games is between Luke Fickell and the Cincinnati Bearcats and Sam Pittman and the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Bearcats are coming off a College Football Playoff run, but are dealing with a lot of turnover. Meanwhile, Arkansas wants to take the next step forward in the SEC West.

Sam Pittman met with the media, where he spoke about the time he spent as a coach at Cincinnati and his relationship with Luke Fickell.

“You know, I didn’t know him–I obviously knew who he was–I met him a the AFCA [American Football Coaches Association] banquet where they were giving out the Coach of the Year and I, for whatever reason, I was one of the five guys, you know,” Sam Pittman said.

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“Then, he won it. So, we were sitting backstage, talking about it, you know, and about–not that–but just visiting. He got some kids. His kids wrestle, I remember him talking to me about that and he was a wrestler, you know. But, he’s just a really nice fella, you know, nice guy, but I don’t know him. I know guys who have worked with him and things of that nature but he sure has a great reputation as a coach and as a man. I do know that and he seemed like a really nice guy.”

Sam Pittman was then asked a follow-up question about the job that Fickell has done at Cincinnati.

“Well, it’s unbelievable. You know, I coached at Cincinnati in ’96, in 1996, and that’s a blue-collar type town. I mean, Cincinnati. It’s a tough, you know, and he’s got that team playing like that. They’re a little scary because they have a chip on their shoulder. They’re the underdog type team and man they play hard and those things. I mean, to go into Notre Dame and beat them last year, only regular season loss, and I don’t know what Notre Dame did in the bowl game, but they finished fifth in the last, Notre Dame did, and they’d finished fifth because Cincinnati went in there and beat them and that’s hard to do for any team.”

“So, he’s got them playing with a great confidence and you can tell, just his demeanor, the way he leads the team, they would have a lot of confidence to him. So, nobody, I don’t believe, well nobody in college football has done what they did, so he’s doing a great job and he must really like it there because I’m sure he’s had other opportunities to leave but he doesn’t–hadn’t–so, must really like it there,” Sam Pittman concluded.

Sam Pittman explained why this game is meaningful

Coach speak dictates that you declare every game meaningful. The next one is always the most important game and the one that you’re the most focused on. Sam Pittman feels that this SEC game against a Group of 5 school is indeed meaningful to him.

“I think it’s a big deal that SEC Nation is here, that’s one of the three Top 25 matchups, we’re on ESPN,” Sam Pittman said. “You want that for the program, publicity for the program, and obviously we want to be standing room only and those things–which I think we–are but it’s changed a little bit over the last couple of years … now, the expectations were certainly high, and they’re high in our building as well.”

“But I think opening up against the Top 25 program–which I think Cincinnati’s higher than that, even I think they would do well in the SEC. That should have helped us in the summer, should have helped us in fall camp understanding that we’re…playing a team that’s in no way inferior to us. We’re playing a team that’s every bit as good as we are, so I think that’s helped us. I hope it has.”