Arkansas fires coach Sam Pittman, names Bobby Petrino interim - ESPN

Arkansas has fired coach Sam Pittman after a blowout home loss to Notre Dame.

Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has been named interim coach. This will be Petrino's second stint as Arkansas' head coach, having previously served in the role from 2008-11.

«I want to thank Coach Pittman for his service and dedication to the University of Arkansas throughout his time as head coach,» athletic director Hunter Yurachek said in a statement. «From Day 1, you could tell how much this opportunity meant to him. At this time, however, I feel a change is necessary to put our student-athletes and program in the best position to be successful. The goal for our football program is to be highly competitive within the Southeastern Conference and compete for a national championship. As we move forward in the process of finding our next head coach, I am certain we will be able to provide the necessary resources to our staff and team to reach our goals. We will begin a national search for our next head coach immediately and that search will include Coach Petrino, who has expressed his desire to be a candidate for the full-time job.»

Pittman, 63, was among a small group of Power 4 coaches who entered the 2024 season on the hot seat but removed themselves. Arkansas recorded a signature win against Tennessee and navigated a tough schedule to go 7-6, which triggered a one-year rollover for Pittman's contract.

He used that contract as a foundation to build optimism for 2025, telling reporters in July at SEC Media Days in Atlanta that «we know who we're playing, they know who they're playing, too. We're proud of our football team.» And that team opened a convincing 2-0, albeit with ho-hum wins over Alabama A&M and Arkansas State, before the