Sam Pittman contract buyout: How much Arkansas owes if he's fired

Sam Pittman seems to have his days at Arkansas numbered, as the Hogs posted their 17th straight loss to Alabama on Saturday afternoon. With a final score of 24-21, the Razorbacks made a commendable yet useless attempt to turn things around in the second half of the matchup.

The defeat was the fifth straight loss for the Fayetteville school and its fourth loss to an SEC rival this year. The Hogs have a 2-5 overall record this season and a 0-4 conference record. Into Week 8, Sam Pittman will probably be battling for his job as the Razorbacks receive the Mississippi State Bulldogs at home.

Another important piece of information from Week 7 for the Arkansas fanbase is that Sam Pittman has officially dropped below .500 in his time at the school with an overall record of 21-22. This means that if the university were to fire him, they would owe him 50% instead of the 75% they would otherwise.

---

Sam Pittman's Contract

Pittman received an extension of his contract after a successful 9-4 2021 season in which the Razorbacks ended as the No. 21 school in the nation, its first Top 25 finish since 2011. Pittman's extension meant that the coach would stay with the school through December 2026, and if he posted a seven-win season, that would automatically extend through 2027. The 2022 record of 7-6 activated said clause.

Pittman also received an extension to roughly $6 million from the $3 million he was earning before. He also received another $200k raise after the 2022 season and a $100k every year through 2027.

---

Sam Pittman contract buyout: How much Arkansas owes if he's fired?

With Sam Pittman currently being under .500, the school would owe roughly $12 million instead of the $18 million they would owe him otherwise.

---

How has Arkansas played under Sam Pittman?

The school's first year under him was the botched 2020 season with COVID-19. In the all-SEC schedule, the Razorbacks only managed a record of 3-7. They were invited to the Texas Bowl, but the clash with TCU was later canceled due to the pandemic.

Pittman's second season with Arkansas was his best, with a 9-4 record and an Outback Bowl victory over Penn State. In Week 4, the Razorbacks had a record of 4-0 and were ranked No. 8 in the nation. This is the Hogs' best season since 2011.

While their record dropped to 7-6 for 2022, the season could be considered a success anyway. The Razorbacks won the Liberty Bowl against Kansas.

Pittman's fourth season has been a disaster since the Week 3 defeat to BYU, followed by consecutive losses to LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Alabama.

---

Arkansas Week 8: Mississippi State

The Hogs receive the Mississippi State Bulldogs at home at noon Eastern Time this Saturday. The Bulldogs are currently 3-3, with a 0-3 SEC record.