Shout out to Mason Choate of our Arkansas site (hawgbeat.com) for sending us the transcription for Pittman's presser.
(Opening)
Excited to play Missouri. You know, obviously we're disappointed we're not going to be bowl eligible. But we have a lot to play for, especially since we're playing our rival and a really, really good, really good football team in Missouri. Offensively, just outstanding everywhere. Really good offensive line. Quarterback’s fast, mobile can throw got great receivers. Running back is a beast. And then on defense they're playing really well in the secondary. Safeties are very, very physical. Obviously up front, Robinson has got a lot of sacks. And they out-physical us last year and certainly have a physical team, really good team. Eliah’s done a really good job there. But we’re excited to obviously play our rival.
(Did you know Hunter would address the team, and what was your reaction?)
Did not, no.
I mean, there’s a lot of emotion in the room, but I didn't know it. But he wanted to address the team right before we finished with the conversation, and it was really cool because of the kids, you know. They went off. I don't ever want to get in that situation, but it was a special moment to be a part of. It was really cool.
(How important is it for him to come out and do that in terms of future stability?)
Well, I think it's really big because you know we're getting a lot of negative from coaches in recruiting. I'll say this, I think when you sign up for the SEC, you have to win. I mean, it's here, A&M, Mississippi State, wherever, Alabama. Wherever. You’ve got to win. And if you don't, there's opportunities for you to be unemployed. That's just how it is, and that's what we sign up for. So, I look at this as an opportunity for us to change our team, keep the ones that are good players for us and good kids and change our team, give us a chance to do that. And I think financially we're going to have the money from NIL to do that. When all that happens, I think we can field a really, really good football team. And I'm excited about, obviously Saturday, but I'm really excited about the future.
(Eli Drinkwitz is very pleased with Hunter's decision to keep you, thoughts?)
Well, he's a good man. The thing with Drink is, you look at it. He came in and had a nice first season, an All-SEC season. Then two years ago, he was close and this, that and the other. Next year, close and all that kind of stuff and finished 6-6. And then this year, they have as good a team as we have in the SEC. I'm not saying they were going to fire him, I'm not saying that. But they stayed with him, and he's got a lot of seniors on his team and is doing a great job over there. I appreciate him saying that. I didn't know that, but I appreciate him saying that. That's just a good person saying what he feels, so I appreciate that.
(Something change from last week to make you feel better about NIL?)
No. Well, yes, but I don't want to talk about it right now... (long pause, looks over to Kyle to say something I can't hear) I don't remember what the question was, but I think the answer was no. I just feel good about it, and I'll leave it at that for right now.
(What did you learn about rebuilding, and what do you say to fans who have peeled off from you and the program?)
Well, how they handle that, we want to earn their trust to come back. I think that's anybody. You have to show what you can do, and once we do that, I think we'll get them back. But I understand. The other part about it is, it's a different world than the first years I was here because you did it through the portal and senior transfers and all that stuff. Now, you're doing it through recruiting and NIL. It's just things have changed. I actually think it's easier to change a program now than when we first came in. Feleipe Franks was here Saturday, and to me, he was that key guy that we needed that first year, both publicly - 'Hey, Feleipe Franks wants to come' - and then obviously on the field. I think recruiting, I think we can recruit against anybody. It's just that you can't recruit against anybody financially, and I really feel good about where we're sitting now and that if that's the case, we can go out and recruit very well against anybody in the country.
YOU WERE UNDERDOG A LOT IN ’21 AND WON GAMES, THIS YEAR U HAVEN’T SHOWN UP IN SOME GAMES, HOW DO YOU GET THAT BACK?
Well, heh, I mean, Tom that’s a little rough now. You can ask a question different than we haven’t shown up, you know? I think there’s one game that was bad. There’s other games that … but anyway, I don’t want to get into all that. What was the rest of the question?
HOW DO YOU GET BACK THAT COMPETITIVE EDGE?
I think we’ve addressed some of that in that you have to recruit your way out of it you know. I think that’s part of it. Obviously injuries have played a part of it as well. But everybody has injuries and everybody has an opportunity to field the best team they have via recruiting. This year we’ve lost a lot of close games and some of them we played pretty good in but we lost. But we just need to go out and … we’ve got to get the offensive line, that’s the No. 1, we’ve got to go after that. That’s the No. 1 thing. And continue to develop the guys that we have now. But I don’t look at it, and obviously you do, but I don’t look at it as non-competitive. I look at it as we’ve got to change the roster some. And I think we have all kinds of chances to do that, so …
WHAT U CAN DO TO WIN CLOSE GAMES, LOTS OF 1-SCORE LOSSES
Yeah, we’ve got a whole lot different. ….
(Opening)
Excited to play Missouri. You know, obviously we're disappointed we're not going to be bowl eligible. But we have a lot to play for, especially since we're playing our rival and a really, really good, really good football team in Missouri. Offensively, just outstanding everywhere. Really good offensive line. Quarterback’s fast, mobile can throw got great receivers. Running back is a beast. And then on defense they're playing really well in the secondary. Safeties are very, very physical. Obviously up front, Robinson has got a lot of sacks. And they out-physical us last year and certainly have a physical team, really good team. Eliah’s done a really good job there. But we’re excited to obviously play our rival.
(Did you know Hunter would address the team, and what was your reaction?)
Did not, no.
I mean, there’s a lot of emotion in the room, but I didn't know it. But he wanted to address the team right before we finished with the conversation, and it was really cool because of the kids, you know. They went off. I don't ever want to get in that situation, but it was a special moment to be a part of. It was really cool.
(How important is it for him to come out and do that in terms of future stability?)
Well, I think it's really big because you know we're getting a lot of negative from coaches in recruiting. I'll say this, I think when you sign up for the SEC, you have to win. I mean, it's here, A&M, Mississippi State, wherever, Alabama. Wherever. You’ve got to win. And if you don't, there's opportunities for you to be unemployed. That's just how it is, and that's what we sign up for. So, I look at this as an opportunity for us to change our team, keep the ones that are good players for us and good kids and change our team, give us a chance to do that. And I think financially we're going to have the money from NIL to do that. When all that happens, I think we can field a really, really good football team. And I'm excited about, obviously Saturday, but I'm really excited about the future.
(Eli Drinkwitz is very pleased with Hunter's decision to keep you, thoughts?)
Well, he's a good man. The thing with Drink is, you look at it. He came in and had a nice first season, an All-SEC season. Then two years ago, he was close and this, that and the other. Next year, close and all that kind of stuff and finished 6-6. And then this year, they have as good a team as we have in the SEC. I'm not saying they were going to fire him, I'm not saying that. But they stayed with him, and he's got a lot of seniors on his team and is doing a great job over there. I appreciate him saying that. I didn't know that, but I appreciate him saying that. That's just a good person saying what he feels, so I appreciate that.
(Something change from last week to make you feel better about NIL?)
No. Well, yes, but I don't want to talk about it right now... (long pause, looks over to Kyle to say something I can't hear) I don't remember what the question was, but I think the answer was no. I just feel good about it, and I'll leave it at that for right now.
(What did you learn about rebuilding, and what do you say to fans who have peeled off from you and the program?)
Well, how they handle that, we want to earn their trust to come back. I think that's anybody. You have to show what you can do, and once we do that, I think we'll get them back. But I understand. The other part about it is, it's a different world than the first years I was here because you did it through the portal and senior transfers and all that stuff. Now, you're doing it through recruiting and NIL. It's just things have changed. I actually think it's easier to change a program now than when we first came in. Feleipe Franks was here Saturday, and to me, he was that key guy that we needed that first year, both publicly - 'Hey, Feleipe Franks wants to come' - and then obviously on the field. I think recruiting, I think we can recruit against anybody. It's just that you can't recruit against anybody financially, and I really feel good about where we're sitting now and that if that's the case, we can go out and recruit very well against anybody in the country.
YOU WERE UNDERDOG A LOT IN ’21 AND WON GAMES, THIS YEAR U HAVEN’T SHOWN UP IN SOME GAMES, HOW DO YOU GET THAT BACK?
Well, heh, I mean, Tom that’s a little rough now. You can ask a question different than we haven’t shown up, you know? I think there’s one game that was bad. There’s other games that … but anyway, I don’t want to get into all that. What was the rest of the question?
HOW DO YOU GET BACK THAT COMPETITIVE EDGE?
I think we’ve addressed some of that in that you have to recruit your way out of it you know. I think that’s part of it. Obviously injuries have played a part of it as well. But everybody has injuries and everybody has an opportunity to field the best team they have via recruiting. This year we’ve lost a lot of close games and some of them we played pretty good in but we lost. But we just need to go out and … we’ve got to get the offensive line, that’s the No. 1, we’ve got to go after that. That’s the No. 1 thing. And continue to develop the guys that we have now. But I don’t look at it, and obviously you do, but I don’t look at it as non-competitive. I look at it as we’ve got to change the roster some. And I think we have all kinds of chances to do that, so …
WHAT U CAN DO TO WIN CLOSE GAMES, LOTS OF 1-SCORE LOSSES
Yeah, we’ve got a whole lot different. ….
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