Sam Pittman sends message to Arkansas fans against Bobby Petrino hire

Sam Pittman isn’t entertaining the naysayers. Last week, the Arkansas head coach bluntly addressed fans who are upset about the program’s decision to hire Bobby Petrino as the team’s next offensive coordinator.

“You’re going to have people that don’t agree with a lot of things in life,” Pittman said. “My message is that we’re doing the best we possibly can do for the state of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas.

“If every decision I make or everything that I’ve done, and I’m worried about how it’s going to be received, then I’m not being true to myself, and to me, this was the best hire for our university, our program and our state. And so I’m going to stand very firm behind that, and if people don’t like it, I’m sorry.”

Petrino was the head coach at Arkansas from 2008-11. While there, Petrino led Arkansas to a 34-17 record. His offenses were particularly successful. Arkansas’ offense ranked second in the SEC in scoring in 2010 (36.5 points per game) and first in 2011 (36.8 points per game).

However, the school fired Petrino after he crashed his motorcycle while riding with an employee he was having an adulterous relationship with. Obviously, the sudden ending of his largely successful coaching tenure left a sour taste in many Arkansas fans’ mouths.

Bobby Petrino faces the music

Petrino understands these concerns and addressed them on earlier this week.

“My beliefs are that it’s OK for people to disagree, have different thoughts, different opinions,” Petrino said. “I grew up where this is the United States of America. Everybody can have their own thoughts, their own religion and you know what, that’s OK.”

“That’s just one of the greatest things about a football team. Guys come from everywhere. … I don’t have any ill feelings toward anybody that disagrees. I just wish it was that for everybody.”

It isn’t, and not only because infamous off-the-field antics. Petrino only had mild success during the regular season at Texas A&M. The Aggies averaged 403.8 yards per game, ranking No. 52 in the country. Nonetheless, the number is a far improvement from Arkansas’ mere 326.5 yards per contest.

Petrino didn’t hesitate to point out how much Arkansas has changed since his last stint with the program.

“I got a lot to learn. I can’t even find my way around. It’s changed. It’s really changed,” Petrino remarked of Fayetteville. “The roads are a little bit different. The way you get to places are a little bit different. … The first thing I’ve got to do is find out where I’m at.”

With Petrino in town, roads aren’t the only thing that will look different in Fayetteville next season. The Razorbacks have plenty of time to get used to it. After finishing with a 4-8 record, Arkansas will not participate in a bowl game this year.