Everything Sam Pittman said after Arkansas beat Ole Miss
Sam Pittman smiled at his wife in the Arkansas post-game press conference.
The Hogs head coach joked he hadn’t had much opportunity in the last couple weeks after Arkansas losses to Liberty and LSU.
In other words, he was in a good mood.
He had every reason to be. Arkansas beat No. 14 Ole Miss, 42-27, to clinch bowl eligibility with one game remaining in the season. It was arguably more important because of how the season had gone to that point.
The return of a healthy KJ Jefferson was paramount. He missed the LSU game with a shoulder injury and questions were everywhere about how well he would be able to throw against Ole Miss.
Turns out, plenty well. He tossed Arkansas’ first three touchdowns and Rocket Sanders ran for Arkansas’ next three en route to a 42-6 lead early in the second half.
Pittman should have enjoyed himself, accordingly.
Sam Pittman's opening statement
Nov 19, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman during the second quarter against the Ole Miss Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Well, first of all, I thought our coaching staff did a really good job of preparing our kids. We had a lot to play for. We had our seniors. We had a dedication game. We talked all week about dedicating the game to somebody else and bringing them into our family. They had a shirt on underneath that they wrote on a marker who they wanted to bring into our football family … There was a lot of motivation for us, a lot to play for. Certainly we were fortunate we had our home crowd. But Ole Miss is a really good football team. They turned it over three times and we didn’t. I’m really proud of our kids and proud to bowl eligible. … Man, it’s nice to have KJ back. We weren’t real clean on the first two scoring drives, but he made clean because of his athleticism. You can say a lot of different things about a lot of different guys. Our defense bent a lot. But they didn’t break. To be up 42-6, the defense has played really well. Really happy.
Rocket Sanders had a day
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS – NOVEMBER 19: Raheim Sanders #5 of the Arkansas Razorbacks runs the ball in the first half during a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
He was (his old self). I just think any running back that carries the ball for 100, 150 yards, they’ve got to have a break. They’ve got to have one or two that’ll be a 30, 40-yard pop. Certainly that’s what he got tonight. When that happens, it’s like anything confidence-wise. If you break one or two, that probably helps you break a tackle. Might help your vision. You’re excited. He played extremely well. … I thought he played exceptionally well. Ran hard.
Ole Miss' touchdowns called back were huge
Nov 19, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin during the second quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
I think that was really big because a lot of times you get a run like that and it gets called back for holding then you miss a field goal, you get sacked, not in field goal range. And our kids in two plays blocked it up and went back and scored. I thought that was really big. I thought this was really our first complete game. … I think it says a lot about our team. We were focused and ready to go.
KJ Jefferson is a king among men
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS – NOVEMBER 19: KJ Jefferson #1 of the Arkansas Razorbacks fakes a pass during the first half of a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
I was not surprised. He had no medication or anything like that this week. We made the decision last week because of the week before he hadn’t practiced … We felt like if we get him back because our defense has been playing better, and we’re healthier, too, we felt like maybe we could come in and do what we did tonight. But it was about his health, too. He’s been throwing it really well in practice.
Arkansas' offensive line is back
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS – NOVEMBER 19: Raheim Sanders #5 of the Arkansas Razorbacks rushes for a touchdown in the first half during a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
The biggest improvement is KJ Jefferson to be perfectly honest with you. When you have a guy like that behind you, it builds confidence in you. … On the draw play, they all came inside and he cut outside for 20, 30 yards. I believe it was Landers’ first touchdown after that. When you have a guy back there like that who can break tackles, make things happen, you play better.
Run game struggled early then bounced
Nov 19, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks running back Raheim Sanders (5) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Ole Miss Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
The very first play we figured out what they were going to do. They were going to plug away from the back. … I suggested we toss the ball outside. Pin and pull, try to get the ball outside a little more. Once we loosened them up a little bit with the throw and the outside threat, I think our kids kind of figured out what they were doing and blocking them up.
Matt Landers' catches were huge
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS – NOVEMBER 19: Matt Landers #3 of the Arkansas Razorbacks catches a touchdown pass during the first half of a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
He got rocked on the first one. He got hit. The second one, those are hard. Over the top and to the left. Those are hard to catch and those are two great catches. The one that was outside over the top, that was him and nobody else. … Landers has just gotten better over the second half of the season. He’s gotten a lot more confidence and gotten better.
Arkansas' pressure off for Missouri
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS – NOVEMBER 19: Arkansas Razorback fans show their spirit before a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
I think it’s big. I’ve caught some heck because I say one of our goals is to go bowling. And one of our goals is to go to a bowl. You can go to the Fiesta, Liberty, Cotton. There’s a lot of bowls. I didn’t say what bowl. Obviously we want to go to the best possible bowl we can go to. Missouri is a rival of us and they’re playing really good ball. So are we. I’m sure it’ll be a great game.
Bumper Pool's final home game
Nov 19, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) is tackled by Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Bumper Pool (10) in the first quarter at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
A lot of guys don’t know how beat up Bumper’s been all year. Bad. He’s sore. Hurt. He just continues to keep coming back and playing. Tend to him a little bit more and trying to take a little bit of the pounding off of him. Last six weeks, a lot of guys wouldn’t even play. To come back, I think there’s some things, the record was a big deal, but also I think he wanted to be a captain. He hadn’t been. That was a big deal for him.
Cold weather helped
Nov 19, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Ketron Jackson Jr (2) celebrates with wide receiver Bryce Stephens (14) after catching a pass for a touchdown against the Ole Miss Rebels during the second quarter at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
I think (we were prepared). Again, our defense played exceptionally last week I thought. We practiced in it all week. I think that helps us. I don’t know what temperature it was or what Lane and them did, but, yeah, I think it did (help us). We caught the ball. We hung on to the ball well. We threw the ball well. Those are things cold bothers and it didn’t look like it bothered us tonight.
Arkansas' first half was one for the ages
Nov 19, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks wuarterback KJ Jefferson (1) rushes in the first quarter against the Ole Miss Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
It was great. What’d we score, 14 there right at the four-minute mark of the second quarter. Drew picked the pass and we went down and scored with five seconds. Then we come out and have two plays and go up 42-6. That was pretty much ball game at that point. To come here, 35-6, the only time we’ve ever done that since I’ve been here we were up 42 or 45-0 over at Little Rock against Pine Bluff. … A coach, you worry about everything. You worry about ‘well, we’re going to come out and play the second half.’ Went down two scores and it’s 42.
