re: Arkansas officially sticks with Pittman

Sometimes it does take an outsider to flip the script on how things were done and establish something new

quote:

---

In other words, they don't want to pay the buyout yet.

---

That is 100% correct! They don't want to pay the buyout YET. The reason for this is a clause written by the AD in Pittman's extension after the 9-4 2021 season.... That clause says if Pittman's record ever gets under 500 at any time (not counting 2020 Covid year where he was 3-7), his buyout is reduced by 50%. His overall record now is sitting at 20-17, so a loss next week puts him at 20-18, where they still would have to pay his full buyout, which is at $16.1m

And this is the answer it is so simple, and it would be what I would do going into the 2024 season if I was the AD, to fly under the radar of everyone thinking this is a lame duck season where the AD/President is just waiting to fire Pittman once he gets under 500.

So, the answer is to gamble with just a small piece of his buyout money now and make a statement OC hire and pay that chap top OC money! Lame duck or not, go get the best coach and pay him LSU/Bama type coordinator money which should make them better in 2024, which keeps Pittman hired, all his assistants hired, then everyone at Arkansas Athletic department is happy, fan base base is happy, potential recruits are happy, etc.

Pay the OC crazy money for Arkansas standards with the money saved from Pittman's buyout. So simple

And if it does not work, you think the OC will be that mad if he makes double his current salary. SO, below is who I would want to hire and how much I pay him.

Phil Longo, come on down to Arkansas! He is doing just OK at Wisconsin this year but has the pedigree and did wonders at UNC with Sam Howell and Drake Maye. Bring your "Air Raid" to Arkansas and we will make you the top paid OC in College football and double your salary from $1.25m in 2023 to $2.5m per year in 2024, and if your coach is fired in 2024 season we still have to pay you the 2024 salary and a bonus for coming is you get your old salary at Wisconsin for the 2025 season.

That is the fix for 2024. That amount of $2.5m would be the top OC salary by $600,000 as Tommy Rees at Bama gets $1.9 now.

And that is only 16% of Pittman's current buyout

He is overall 23-24 but with 2020 3-7 record not counting, he is 20-17, so that 50% clause to reduce his buyout cannot be reached at the end of this year.

Arkansas will struggle finding any good OCs that will come here knowing that Pittman could be fired any day next season.

Sometimes job security is better than a higher salary.