Arkansas fires Pittman, Petrino named interim coach after ND loss

One day after Arkansas suffered a 56-13 home loss to No. 21 Notre Dame, the university dismissed sixth-year head coach Sam Pittman on Sunday, Sept. 28, and named offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino as interim coach for the remainder of the season. The move came as the Razorbacks slipped to 2-3 on the year and followed a game in which the program also lost a top receiver to a season-ending injury.

Athletic director Hunter Yurachek said the decision reflected his assessment that Pittman had lost the team and that a change was necessary to put the program in a better position. Yurachek announced the coaching change and said a national search for a permanent replacement will begin immediately, while Petrino will be included among candidates for the full-time job. Yurachek also said Petrino has agreed to serve as interim head coach and will be evaluated for the permanent role.

Pittman, 63, finishes his Arkansas tenure with a 32-34 record over six seasons and a 2-3 mark in 2025. His tenure included a nine-win season in 2021 but otherwise limited sustained success in SEC play. In a postgame press conference after the loss to Notre Dame, Pittman acknowledged fan frustration and pledged...