If there’s any program that Sam Pittman knows better than his own Arkansas team in the Southeastern Conference, it’s Georgia.
Pittman was the offensive line coach as well as being assistant head coach under Kirby Smart from 2016-19 with the Bulldogs.
Heading into Saturday’s titanic meeting, Pittman knows what his team is going up against between the hedges at 11 a.m. in front of a national ESPN television audience as well as College GameDay.
“All (Kirby) wants to do is win,” Pittman said. “He treats people right, but he’s at his alma mater and he wants to win for the state of Georgia and University of Georgia.”
Arkansas knows that the chance of pulling off another upset, in which it is an 18-point underdog, is going to come down to execution and preparation.
The Razorbacks don’t have time to pat themselves on the back for a top 10 national ranking and finally having the spotlight on them for being good instead of being a laughingstock.
Sam Pittman confident his team will continue to handle the hype:
"None of it affects our preparation."
"It's nice we are 8th, I'd rather be 8th than 80th."
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) September 27, 2021
Smart knows that the team he saw in the delayed season opener last year in Fayetteville isn’t even in the same stratosphere as the one that will come onto the Sanford Stadium grass this weekend.
Kirby Smart praises Barry Odom's Arkansas defense:
"He takes what he has and he works well with them… He forces your hand to play left-handed and he's got really good players doing it. Make no mistake, this is not last year's Arkansas."
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) September 27, 2021
Reigning players of the week Treylon Burks and Tre Williams will get the Bulldogs’ full attention in practice.
Follow Razorbacks Wire on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest University of Arkansas sports news on your timeline.