Maybe let’s chalk it up to just two seasons on the job.
But otherwise, it’s hard to imagine Arkansas coach Sam Pittman as being only the seventh best coach in the SEC.
That’s where Pittman was slotted, though, in CBS Sports analyst Barrett Sallee’s power rankings of the league’s 14 coaches. It’s a step up of four spots from Sallee’s placing of Pittman last year and it ranks Pittman 22nd overall in FBS.
Pittman is headed into his third season as head coach of the Razorbacks after taking over for Chad Morris after the 2019 season. Arkansas went 3-7 in Pittman’s first year, then 9-4 last year, which included an Outback Bowl win over Penn State.
Arkansas is expected to be ranked in, or near, the preseason Top 25 when the season begins in September.
Here is Sallee’s complete list.