ATLANTA – “Woo Pig Sooie” yielded bling, bling, bling last football season.
Continuing their rapid ascension from the depths of the Southeastern Conference, the Arkansas Razorbacks posted a 9-4 record that included the capturing of four trophies – defeating Texas A&M 20-10 for the Southwest Classic, topping LSU 16-13 for the Golden Boot, thumping Missouri 34-17 for the Battle Line and then downing Penn State 24-10 in the Outback Bowl.
“That was a big deal to our football team, a really big deal, to have all three of our rivalry trophies,” third-year coach Sam Pittman said Wednesday as SEC media days continued inside the College Football Hall of Fame. “No one on our team had ever had one of those trophies. We were fortunate to have all three of them.”
The Razorbacks had consecutive 0-8 league seasons during the two-year run of Chad Morris in 2018-19, which followed the 1-7 SEC mark in Bret Bielema’s fifth and final year. Very little was thought of Arkansas entering Pittman’s debut in 2020, but his Hogs were quite competitive in going 3-7 against a conference-only schedule.
Arkansas’ record last season was its best since Bobby Petrino’s 2011 team capped an 11-2 year by winning the Cotton Bowl, and the Outback Bowl marked the program’s biggest bowl game since.
“On April 22nd, we handed out bowl rings,” Pittman said. “People asked, ‘Why do you hand out a ring for the Outback Bowl?’ Because I wanted to. Because it’s something nobody on our team had accomplished before. You can set goals, and once you reach that goal, we’re going to celebrate it.
“Then we’re going to move on. That was the last time our team talked about last year.”
The Razorbacks, who led all Power Five programs in rushing last season with 227.8 yards per game, could be incredibly stout this season by simply matching last year’s success. In addition to their league challenges, they have a nonconference contingent containing an opening test against Cincinnati, a mid October trip to BYU and a November date with Liberty.
Throw in Missouri State, which reached the FCS playoffs, and all 12 of the Arkansas opponents are coming off postseason appearances.
Making a second consecutive trophy sweep all the more daunting.
“That meant a lot for sure, because we had never done that as a program, and to do that speaks volumes to what we’ve done in the offseason stuff,” redshirt junior safety Jalen Catalon said. “Trophies are great, but the main goal at the end of the day is to be the national champion. If we’re not that, then I feel like we’ve sold ourselves short.”
Said sixth-year senior linebacker Bumper Pool: “Having gone through all the seasons that I have, being able to win those trophies was very important to our team and to the success and momentum of our year. It was really cool to hold those trophies, because I had seen them my whole life.”
The decade man
Mark Stoops has a chance to make a whole bunch of history this season at Kentucky.
When the Wildcats host Miami of Ohio on Sept. 3, Stoops will begin his 10th season, topping the nine years Fran Curci spent in Lexington (1973-81) and the eight by Bear Bryant (1946-53), Blanton Collier (1954-61) and Jerry Claiborne (1982-89).
“The 10 years in Lexington is something that I am proud of because I know how difficult it is,” Stoops said. “I know how difficult it is to walk into this league with the great coaching, with the recruiting, and then trying to climb that ladder as high as we can. I am proud of that, and I appreciate the work, but we’re not satisfied.
“We want to continue to grow. We want to continue to push it. Obviously some teams at the top of the food chain in the East and the West are doing some really special things, so you have to continue to elevate your game.”
Stoops is 59-53 with the Wildcats and would tie Bryant’s school mark of 60 wins with a triumph in the opener. By winning the second game at Florida on Sept. 10, he would set the new standard.
“This isn’t a time to really reflect on that too much, but I do personally think about my mother,” Stoops said. “For her to have two sons that have the all-time wins at Power Five programs – with Bob at Oklahoma and myself at Kentucky – the only focus I have is on my mother to be able to be there and share in that moment.”
Gargantuan divide
It wasn’t that long ago when Florida defeated Georgia 18 times in the 21 seasons from 1990-2010, and it definitely wasn’t long ago when the Gators whipped the Bulldogs 44-28 to win the 2020 Eastern Division title.
Last season, however, Georgia went 8-0 in league play and Florida 2-6, marking the biggest such single-season gap between the longtime border rivals.
“I think we’re all aware if you can win your division and the championship here, you can be a national championship contender,” Gators first-year coach Billy Napier said. “The path has been proven, but we’re consumed with Florida right now.
“We’ve got a lot of grass to mow, right? It’s our grass and not anybody else’s. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Fifth-year senior linebacker Ventrell Miller also said that Georgia is not a topic among Gators players, adding, “At the University of Florida, the standards are always high. We come in every year looking to win the East, the SEC and a national championship.”
Odds and ends
Pittman on the potential SEC scheduling format of three permanent opponents and six rotating foes: “If we could play Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri, that would be a really cool deal.” The Houston Chronicle reported Wednesday that Texas A&M receiver Ainias Smith, who is scheduled to represent the Aggies on Thursday at media days, has been arrested on DWI and weapons charges. Stoops described Tennessee transfer running back Dee Beckwith as a large athlete who can confuse you by playing different positions, adding that Beckwith could play receiver and H-back.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.