DALLAS — SEC Media Days at the Omni Hotel in Dallas are all wrapped up, and they saved the best for last as The Arkansas Razorbacks took the podium on Thursday.
Head Coach Sam Pittman led the way alongside his players, Quarterback Taylen Green, Wide Receiver Andrew Armstrong, and the team captain Defensive End Landon Jackson.
Over the course of the day the four Hogs were asked some of the biggest topics coming into the 2024 season with the most important mantra coming from Pittman saying that this year the team will "Embrace the Hog."
Looking ahead
One of the biggest off season topics was the hiring of new offensive coordinator and former Razorback Head Coach Bobby Petrino. Petrino comes back after over a decade looking to improve the offense. Pittman told us he had to swallow his pride in hiring him to do what was best for the team and so far, he says he's glad he did.
"It's been great. I mean, he's passionate. He likes to win, likes to win and score points. So it's been great," Pittman said about his new OC.
"I'm really grateful to, you know, have, and I believe the best, one of the best coordinators in the country," added Green, the Hogs' new QB1.
And speaking of Green, he joins the Hogs after transferring in from Boise State. He takes over the helm at quarterback after three straight years of KJ Jefferson. Going to grab him out of the transfer portal was one of Bobby Petrino's first acts as OC and D-End Landon Jackson believes that was a great decision.
"I feel like Taylen fits great in the offense. He's the type of quarterback that I feel like every team coach Petrino has had that's been very successful, he's had a quarterback that plays the way Taylen plays. And I think that's one thing I'm really excited to see this season. Our focus," Jackson said about his QB.
However, it's hard to be a great QB without a good offensive line, and last year the O-Line was one of the big struggles for the team. But this year they hired a new O-line coach Eric Mateos, who comes after three years at Baylor serving as their offensive line coach. Pittman has also been more involved in that group as well after his years coaching the big boys up front and believes this unit will be much improved.
"I think the most improved part of our football team this spring was our offensive line. I'm excited about that group," Pittman said.
Sooners and Longhorns join SEC
Switching gears as there are two new teams to the SEC in the Oklahoma Sooners and The Hogs' old Southwest Conference rival, the Texas Longhorns.
That rivalry will be renewed on Nov. 16 in Fayetteville. Texas Head Coach Steve Sarkisian made his way to the Hill in 2021 in his first year in Austin where his team fell to Arkansas 40-21. He said he really felt the hate when he was down there.
"I feel like when you go to Arkansas ... I almost at times feel like they hate Texas more than they like themselves," Sarkisian said jokingly.
And what did Pittman have to say about that?
"I would say he's probably right."
Talking about the last time the Horns were in town he when onto say that it was likely the most excited the Hog fanbase had been in a while.
Texas will likely be a top 5 team coming into the year, but that isn't new for the Hogs. The schedule this year may look daunting to Hog fans but Pittman doesn't seem worried about it.
"We have seven top 25 teams on the schedule, so it's probably a lot better year than it's normally been," Pittman joked.
"Now, you know, Andrew said it on the plane coming over here. He said, 'Hell, coach, they gotta play us too.'"
With SEC Media days now in the rear view mirror, the only thing left to do is wait for the season to start. The Hogs will kick off their season on Aug. 29 in Little Rock where they will take on Arkansas Pine Bluff at 6:30 p.m.