How Sam Pittman wants Razorbacks football to reflect 'the great state of Arkansas'

Sam Pittman is nothing if not consistent. The Arkansas football coach knows who he is, and he doesn't shy away from it. He knows exactly what he wants his program to be, too, and it reflects his own humility and blue-collar attitude.

At 2022 SEC Media Days in Atlanta on Wednesday, Pittman stuck to his usual script. He is unabashed in his loyalty to the program and wants that loyalty in return from his players and coaches. He wants his team to be tough and physical. He loves to play Fleetwood Mac on his jukebox.

Pittman's news conference fit precisely with the brand he and Arkansas football has built over his first two seasons in charge. The Razorbacks present as a hard-nosed team that plays physical football while being devoted to the state of Arkansas. It's a brand that manages not to feel calculated, and it's made Pittman one of the most likeable coaches in the league.

"We'd like our program to reflect our state, the great state of Arkansas: Loyal, tough, hard-working," Pittman said. "In my office is a sign that says, 'You're not coming to play for the University of Arkansas, you're coming to play for the state of Arkansas.' And it's true to the core."

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Pittman used the word "loyal" six times in his roughly 30-minute address. He described five of his coaches as loyal, including coordinators Barry Odom and Kendal Briles. The duo is back for a third season in 2022, a fact of which Pittman is extremely proud: He noted in his intro that Arkansas is one of eight Power Five teams with both coordinators returning for a third year.

Pittman has put his literal money where his mouth is with an SEC non-compete clause in his new $6 million-per-year contract. He's proud of that, too, noting it in his opening statement and reiterating that he wants to use his stated loyalty to the program to help in recruiting.

"I wanted to sell stability in our program, and I wanted to show the state of Arkansas my loyalty to them," he said. "With that non-compete, I'm going to be able to coach throughout my career — as long as we win, obviously — at the University of Arkansas."

He is such an "Arkansas guy" that he has a Razorback statue at his second home on Lake Hamilton in central Arkansas. A pair of bronze hogs stand atop a pile of rocks outside his lake house and are illuminated in red at night. Thanks to a water feature, the big pigs literally slobber into the lake.

"It's really kind of cool," Pittman said. "Boats on parade coming down to the house, they call the hogs. We have a sign that says, 'Don't get on the hog.' There's a few people that do. I wish they'd read the sign."

All of that public devotion to the university and state of Arkansas, plus last year's nine-win season, have won over Razorback fans. The Razorbacks are garnering national attention, too, picked to finish third in the SEC West by the USA Today Network.

Pittman knows that. But, ever-humble, he wouldn't say Arkansas has "made it."

"Arkansas is just trying to compete," he said. "We're trying to get better. We're trying to fight hard. We're trying to work hard. We're the underdog. We like it that way."

Christina Long covers the Arkansas Razorbacks. You can email her at clong@swtimes.com or follow her on Twitter @christinalong00.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: What Sam Pittman wants Arkansas Razorbacks football to represent