FAYETTEVILLE — Sam Pittman’s turnaround tale at the University of Arkansas earned the second-year coach a national nod on Monday.
Pittman was named by the American Football Coaches Association as its Region 2 coach of the year. The Razorbacks are 8-4 and headed to the Outback Bowl for a matchup with Penn State on New Year’s Day.
Pittman guided Arkansas to a 4-4 mark in the rugged SEC West, the program’s first .500 record in league play since the 2015 team, for which Pittman served as offensive line coach, went 5-3 against conference opponents.
Pittman, who turned 60 two days after the Razorbacks wrapped the regular season with a 34-17 win over Missouri, is now in the running for the AFCA’s National Coach of the Year as one of five regional winners.