HawgBeat - Takeaways from Sam Pittman at SEC Media Days
HawgBeat provides takeaways from what Arkansas football head coach Sam Pittman said at 2023 SEC Media Days.
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Sam Pittman took the stage on Wednesday and spoke to the media in Nashville, Tennessee, at SEC Media Days.
Pittman touched on plenty of topics, including the addition of his new coordinators, the transfer portal, the evolution of the offensive line and more.
Here are the biggest takeaways from Sam Pittman's time at the podium on Wednesday.
Dan Enos' offense slower, but will be effective
This season will be the first year quarterback KJ Jefferson will start under a new offensive coordinator in Dan Enos, but Pittman is confident even with the change, Arkansas' offense will be just fine.
"Well, I hired Dan Enos because I think he's a hell of a football coach," Pittman said. "But Dan wasn't dealt the same players (at Maryland) that we have on our team, either. That's yet to be seen. I hired Dan Enos because I thought he was the best play-caller I've ever worked with, and I felt like that's what you need, but you're right. Explosive plays score points."
Last year for Maryland, Enos' offense averaged 260.2 yards passing and 141.3 yards rushing per game, with a scoring average of 28.12 points per game. But like Pittman said, he wasn't working with a top-tier quarterback in Jefferson and All-SEC running back in Sanders.
Jefferson said Wednesday the offense looks different than it was under Kendal Briles, adding that there's more on the quarterbacks plate with Enos.
"It's a lot slower than how we been in the previous years," Jefferson said. "Also just being able to — in this offense, it's a lot on the quarterback. I have a lot more freedom to do different things, audible different plays, stuff like that. It's fun to be in, and also just a learning tool for me just on the next level."
Defensive line should be better
It's hard to imagine how a defensive line that helped set the school record in sacks a season ago could get better, but Pittman said after the addition of defensive coordinator Travis Williams he expects the line to get even better.
"I think we are going to be better on the (defensive line)," Pittman said. "I think we'll be able to play a four-man front. I think we'll be a little more aggressive. We've always tried to get man-to-man corners, and I think between Snaxx (Lorando Johnson), Nudie (Dwight McGlothern) and Day-Day (La'Darrius Bishop) and (Jaylon) Braxton and some of those guy, I think we are going to have an opportunity to play a little bit more man, which will allow us to be a little more aggressive and move that front."
Where the line could get better is in rushing defense. Last season the Razorbacks gave up 170 yards per game on the ground, an average of 4.6 yards per carry. With the addition of the four-man front Pittman talked about, that number should go down.
"Moving the front helps you in the run game as much as it does in the pass game," Pittman said. "And I think, well we've got to do that a little bit more than what we have in the past."
Over the offseason, Arkansas added several defensive linemen in the transfer portal including John Morgan III from Pittsburgh, Trajan Jeffcoat from Missouri, Anthony "Tank" Booker from Maryland and Keivie Rose from Louisiana Tech.
The Hogs return Taurean Carter, a defensive tackle who missed all of last season with a knee injury. It'll also be the third season for defensive tackle Cam Ball, who saw action in all 13 games last season. He made 31 tackles, 2.5 of those for loss, one sack and one forced fumble.
Young offensive linemen will need to step up
Arkansas is replacing three starters on the offensive line from last year, as Ricky Stromberg, Dalton Wagner and Luke Jones have all moved on the program for the NFL and graduation. That means the guys who have been waiting in the wings will get their shot in 2023.
"Well, at tackle, you know, we have very, very talented tackles," Pittman said. "We have Devon Manuel and Patrick Kutas. We like those guys. We like Ty'Kieast Crawford. We like Andrew Chamblee. E'Marion Harris could go out there and play. They are not guys that's proven on a Saturday afternoon yet. Are they talented? Yes."
Arkansas has recruited well along the offensive line in the past few seasons, and it's time for them to step up. The Hogs have had the luxury of having older men on the offensive line in the past, but those guys are gone and the younger guys need to show what they're made of.
"Those guys are all really good players," Pittman said. "I know they can play. They just haven't yet because we've had the luxury of having older guys on the team, and even six-year guys, super seniors that have kept them off the field. But I think it's time that they will go out there and show what they are going to do, and I have no doubt we'll feel really good about that."
From the transfer portal, Arkansas did snag another older piece in Joshua Braun from Florida, who is expected to play at guard this fall.
Running back room still not a problem
Under running backs coach Jimmy Smith, Arkansas hasn't had a problem with their running back room, and that won't be the case in 2023 either.
Pittman said Wednesday Raheim "Rocket" Sanders has gained an extra 10 pounds and is faster than he was in 2022, and his work ethic is top of the line too.
"I think because of who Rocket Sanders is," Pittman said. "I mean, he's a hard-working guy that you want to bring home to every meal. Great guy. So I think that has something to do with it. Work ethic, who he is, incredible guy, and he's fast, 240 pounds. That helps too."
Sanders' excellence at the position, along with the health of Dominique Johnson, provides depth at the position. Pittman spoke on Johnson, who is coming off two ACL tears, as well as AJ Green who is going into his third season with the Hogs.
"Now, the room, you look at AJ Green, really good player," Pittman said. "You look at Rashod (Dubinion), and (Dominique) Johnson ... he started the Outback Bowl for us, but he just never had the confidence to play much last year. He's healthy, he'll be back.
"So I think those four guys will take — I think we'll have a good running back room again. But the leader of that room is Rocket with AJ being right there with him."
Last season, Arkansas averaged 256.5 yards on the ground. Sanders finished with 1,443 yards and 10 total touchdowns, earning him First Team All-SEC honors. Green added 414 yards and three touchdowns and Dubinion rushed for 293 yards and five scores.
Razorbacks not backing down from tough road schedule
Arkansas is no stranger to having tough schedules, but the 2023 slate includes one of the toughest road stretches in the country. The Hogs will travel to Baton Rouge to play LSU, Arlington, Texas, to face off against Texas A&M, Oxford, Mississippi, to play Ole Miss and then Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to play the Crimson Tide.
Pittman called it "the gift that keeps on giving," and said the plan is just to take it one game at a time.
"You know, it seems like every year we've got a stretch in there, especially this year," Pittman said. "In other words, two years ago, when we were 9-4, we had a five-game stretch, three of them were at home.
Well, not really. One was in Little Rock, one was at Dallas, you know what I mean. Similar situation a little bit for us now. Don't get me wrong, I like the games in Little Rock, we are going to open the season there this year. But yeah, I think you just have to manage each game separately."
The toughest part of the road schedule this year, particularly the four-game stretch where the Hogs don't play in Razorback Stadium for over a month, is the level of competition they'll face away from home.
"We obviously have a challenging schedule," Pittman said. "I think last year, somebody told me we played seven teams in the Top 25. Well, that's the SEC. We are excited about that. This year, we go to Florida. I don't believe we've ever won at Florida. We have Missouri at home and then we have a non-conference schedule."
