A quick reunion: Arkansas’ Sam Pittman faces Georgia team he helped build

Once nightfall hit on Dec. 7, Georgia’s offensive linemen sat with their chins buried inside the collar of their dirtied, red Bulldog jerseys. They had been defeated in the conference title game. A group of disappointed big men lined the back row of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium locker room as their trophy-hoisting dreams faded. As the evening went by, those linemen realized not much had been heard from their coach, Sam Pittman.

Georgia became Pittman’s home for four years. A call from one institution, however, could send him elsewhere in a moment’s notice. Arkansas had always been Pittman’s goal. He told his Bulldog linemen that he dreamed of retiring in Fayetteville. On that night, it became a reality as Pittman became a viable candidate to replace Chad Morris as head coach after a 2-10 Razorbacks season. He didn’t look back.

“He kind of disappeared,” Georgia’s then-senior offensive guard D’Marcus Hayes told The Telegraph. “He definitely didn’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings, but his mind was made up.”

Georgia held an end-of-season awards gala the following night. Pittman didn’t attend. He already hopped on a plane to fly 800 miles west, interview and eventually seal the deal with Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek. His players discovered the confirmation in unconventional fashion — reports and social media posts.

They were devastated. Pittman built strong relationships with a group that bred three NFL draftees this past April. They adored him. Georgia reached another tier of success with the help of Pittman’s leadership.

No face-to-face meeting could be had. A text came instead. Pittman wrote to each of his Bulldogs to make their significance in his life known. The striking, yet understanding blow was finished.

“I’m a crier,” Pittman said. “If I had to sit in front of them and tell them I was leaving, then I would’ve bawled my eyes out. I love those guys and it would’ve been very difficult.”

Ten months later, Pittman already finds himself on the opposite sideline facing Georgia. The coincidental turn of events comes after the pandemic-shortened season featured 10 conference games. It brings for a much quicker reunion than expected for Pittman to see his old family once again.

His players still beam with pride when discussing their old coach. They can’t wait to see him. His old boss, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, gets to compete against the man who left a mark in Athens and helped “build the foundation” of the Bulldogs’ ascent.

“Never in my wildest dreams when I took the job did I think Georgia would be the first opponent,” Pittman said.

A FAMILY OF LINEMEN

Jamaree Salyer’s status as a high-profile recruit allowed him to get accustomed with Georgia. He visited campus for a spring practice alongside his high-school teammate and recent Bulldog signee, Andrew Thomas (now an NFL rookie). Pittman greeted his future players with quite the unique fashion choice.

Salyer knew Pittman’s appeal for something “hip,” but didn’t expect the tight pants his coach was sporting. Salyer, reflecting on the memory, called them joggers while using air quotes. Pittman had a distinctive pair of kicks that Salyer liked, but not those pants.

Anything but the pants.

“Do you like them?” Pittman asked.

“Nah, coach, I’m not a fan,” Salyer replied, probably with his signature grin.

On a future recruiting visit, Salyer remembered the encounter with Pittman’s pants. He quickly mentioned it again.

“Coach, what happened to the pants?” Salyer asked.

“I burned them,” Pittman quipped. “Those are gone. You’ll never have to worry about those again.”

The funny exchange came first to Salyer’s mind. He looked up toward the sky when thinking, because he knew there were more. Pittman’s relationships were strong and genuine. That’s what led to signing a beaucoup of five-star players.

Those experiences aren’t a recruiting ploy, however. They’re heartfelt memories that Pittman cherishes. Pittman and his wife, Jamie Pittman, don’t have children. For four years, Georgia’s offensive linemen were their sons. It could be Thomas, Isaiah Wilson, Kendall Baker, Solomon Kindley, Owen Condon or any of the rest. You name it. They were adopted by the Pittmans.

“He was a relationship-driven coach,” said Smart, who has called Pittman his “dear friend” numerous times during game preparation. “His players just love him and they all enjoy playing for him. He created that family atmosphere.”

Pittman hosted many position group gatherings at his house. He took them out to dinner. He made sure they stayed on top of academics. He stood true to what his recruiting pitches were built on — a bond.

“I have a lot of love for coach Pitt,” Salyer said. “I’d tell him that right now if I could.”

Once he left, his care for Georgia’s linemen didn’t fade. Hayes sat at his home in Mississippi over the winter and received a call at 8 p.m. He saw it was from Arkansas, and wondered who it might be. Pittman was on the other end. He called each of his players — current and former — to make sure they had his new contact information if they needed anything. Pittman celebrated the draft selections of Kindley, Thomas and Wilson with FaceTime video calls to express his pride.

Pittman reinforced it in his Monday press conference by highlighting each of the Bulldog potential starters with a quality of their character and on-field play.

“It’s easy to be good to people that are good people,” Pittman said. “It was very easy to build a relationship with those guys because they’re fine men.”

GAINING KNOWLEDGE

Pittman graduated in 1980 from Pittsburg State, 109 miles from Fayetteville and a smidge across the Kansas border. It was the same year that Georgia pulled off the program’s second national title with a 17-10 Sugar Bowl win over Notre Dame.

Ever since then, Georgia has had a special place in Pittman’s heart. He can’t pinpoint it. But it made a difference when Smart called with a merry offer around Christmas in 2015.

Pittman, previously the Razorbacks’ offensive line coach, had Arkansas players en masse at his door. They begged him to stay on board and continue building the program under Bret Bielema. He hated leaving. Arkansas is his true passion. He had to go to Georgia to evolve, and Pittman learned something new each year.

“It was an incredible experience. Without that, I wouldn’t be the head coach at Arkansas,” Pittman said.

Two of Pittman’s greatest growths came in approaching future schedules and recruiting. He experienced a home-on-home series with the Fighting Irish. He saw a trajectory of games being scheduled against powerhouse programs like Clemson, Oklahoma and Texas. Once Pittman hit the recruiting trail, his results came quickly evident — and celebrated with quirky videos to social media.

He led numerous efforts in signing a slew of Bulldog contributors.

▪ 2016: Kindley

▪ 2017: Thomas, Wilson, Hayes, Netori Johnson, Justin Shaffer

▪ 2018: Salyer, Condon, Trey Hill

▪ 2019: Clay Webb, Xavier Truss, Warren McClendon

“At Georgia, you’re recruiting on steroids,” Pittman said. “If you don’t, you’re not going to (cut it) here. I learned that from Kirby.”

Smart’s hire of Pittman proves to be a core piece of a national title game appearance and consecutive Sugar Bowls. His title of associate head coach showed it. His influence on Georgia’s players, beyond his own linemen, did too.

Smart remembers numerous occasions where players would speak in front of the team and praise Pittman. They admired his qualities. Amid the knowledge gained, Georgia benefited most on what Pittman already possessed and knew carried the heaviest weight.

“He always had a positive attitude and brought a positive vibe,” wide receiver Kearis Jackson said. “Anything that comes out of his mouth will be positive. He wanted the best for everyone.”

Georgia now has a new position coach in Matt Luke. But Pittman’s presence is something Smart said the Bulldogs were “lucky” to have. Pittman passed on knowledge, too, and it remains within his unit.

“He deserves a lot of credit. He is a hell of a recruiter and a hell of a coach,” Hayes said. “He left and the O-line is in good hands. They’re still his guys. A piece of Pitt is still there.”

‘HE’S ALWAYS HAD THE TRAITS OF A HEAD COACH’

Four years ago, Pittman looked around the meeting room as Smart’s first coaching staff assembled inside Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. He noticed that there was a significant amount of talent with head-coaching potential. Over recent offseasons, that has proven to be true as Pittman joined Mel Tucker (Colorado and Michigan State) as coaches to receive jobs at the top position.

Pittman’s case, however, has a unique twist. He made the ultimate jump from offensive line coach to the conductor of Arkansas’ train without coordinator experience. It might be an outlier, but those around him understand why.

He’s different.

Smart saw Pittman command respect of the locker room. He made the decision before last season’s win over Florida that Georgia wouldn’t double team the Gators’ pass rushers. He thought his linemen could handle the challenge, and one-on-one assignments paid off. As evidenced by the tendency to shed tears, his emotions help Pittman in his role as a leader.

“He always had the traits of a head coach,” Smart said. “I am extremely happy for him for this opportunity he has gotten. I know he always had a special place in his heart for Arkansas.”

He also got his share of exposure, too. The growth into a big-bodied, NFL-caliber offensive line helped Georgia win games. Pittman didn’t get Rose Bowl games or title chances at his previous stops.

For those who played for him, they envision those qualities fitting in at Arkansas. They believe he’s the type of coach needed in order to revamp the program’s culture.

“Pitt has his own style of coaching,” Hayes said. “He’s more in-tune with his players personally. He’s a very genuine guy and has a knack for instilling good things in players.”

That night following the SEC championship loss hurt Georgia’s linemen. They didn’t want to lose that relationship. But they’re all Razorback fans now, except for this Saturday.

Pittman is back where he always wanted to be. He only has to look toward the opposing sideline to reflect on how he got there.

“I’m the head coach at Arkansas,” Pittman said. “It’ll be a heck of a day.”

This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 12:01 PM.