Q: There was plenty of talk about head coach Sam Pittman not seeing out the season before a game was played. What’s the feeling around the current head coach with the program sitting at 5-3?
A: It’s a week-by-week thing. After the Tennessee game, Hogs fans were riding high. After LSU, the world was ending. Now, they’re back on top again. I think Coach Pittman probably saved his job with last week’s win. However, we’ll have to see what this week entails.
Q: The offense has looked much improved compared to 2023 performances. Should Bobby Petrino take all the credit, or is there more to the improvement than the change of OC?
A: I think most of the credit should go toward Coach Petrino. Dan Enos was a square peg in a round hole with the personnel at Arkansas, and his playcalling was horrendous. Conversely, Petrino brought in his own QB and developed an offense around him and the pieces already in Fayetteville.
However, there’s one coach going under the radar, and that’s the offensive line coach Eric Mateos. The unit was the Achilles Heel of the team, but that didn’t make sense with the talent they had. When you broke down some of the games, it looked like they were completely lost. It seemed like there was a communication issue with former OL coach Cody Kennedy and Enos. Mateos, on the other hand, seems to have a good grasp of what Petrino is trying to accomplish. He also brought in three of Arkansas’s starting OLs: Fernando Carmona, Addison Nichols, and Keyshawn Blackstock.
Q: Ole Miss hasn’t won in Fayetteville since 2008, but what weaknesses in Arkansas’s game can give Rebels fans hope of a win?
A: After giving so much praise to the group, I’d have to say Ole Miss's front seven versus Arkansas’s offensive line. The Rebels are just so talented up front, and the Razorbacks have struggled to keep Green upright against elite defensive lines. Ole Miss will no doubt score, but if they can keep Green in check, they’ll have a very good shot at winning.