When he was last at Arkansas as an offensive line coach from 2012-15, Sam Pittman was known as a great recruiter.
It's been the perception at Tennessee, Georgia and other stops during his career as one of the top offensive line coaches in college football.
While I am sure that is going to stay the same this time around with the Razorbacks, it's a different role this time around in Fayetteville.
Instead of being a constant on the recruiting trail and in a prospect's home up to seven times as an assistant, he will get just the one home visit allowed head coaches and assume a role as the closer.
"I think the difference for me personally is that it is going to be hard for me to have these relationships with these kids as closely as a I did (as an assistant)," Pittman said. "It only makes sense that if I can go out seven times and the head coach can go out one time, someone should have a better relationship and know the family better."
That's not to say that Pittman, who grew up a Razorback fan in Oklahoma 21 miles from the Arkansas border, won't be as involved in recruiting as the NCAA allowed.
"Now there are always phone and text messages and we will certainly do a lot of that, but I would think I am going to lose a little bit of that," Pittman said. "What you try to do in recruiting is get so tight that you can't say no. That's the bottom line.
"So I might lose a little bit of that, but that's OK because I am going to hire great coaches that are going to get them on campus and the more you get them on, the better we are going to be."
Pittman was scheduled to get in his first eight home visits this week as he visited Arkansas' six commitments and Morrilton quarterback Jacolby Criswell, a North Carolina pledge, and Conway offensive lineman and Ole Miss commit Robert Scott (6-6, 290).
He wants to shore up those pledges and take his best shot at Criswell and Scott, regarded as two of the top five players in the state and ones at needed positions.
Pittman also has plans to host official visits this weekend with possibly as many as 10 before a two-day dead period arrives on Monday ahead of Wednesday's opening of the Dec. 18-20 early signing period.
He believes that the key to success is just working hard and smart and thinks that will win over fans that worry about this being his first college head coaching job.
"I think by the product we put out on the field, the recruits that we sign, the way our players communicate about the program," Pittman said. "Every head coach that is a head coach now, wasn't at some point ... But at some point, somebody has got to trust you and believe in you.
"... I've had coordinator jobs offered to me, and in the SEC, but I didn't take them, I stayed where I was. But I have the opportunity now to be a head coach and I think it is just the product I put out there."
While Arkansas has struggled on the field in the last few years, Razorback athletic director Hunter Yuracheck was quick to point out the good from the past.
"I set out with no particular time table to bring back the tradition of our football program," Yurachek said. "It is a football program that has an incredible tradition when you look at the fact that we have won a national championship, been to 42 bowl games and had 13 conference championships. It is time for our football program to no longer be at the bottom of the Southeastern Conference. I think we have found the right man to do that."
Sports on 12/12/2019