Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Glimpse of Pittman
Yurachek impressed by new coach’s performance in tough times.
FAYETTEVILLE — College football coaches will take their small measures of joy anywhere they can get them these days with the coronavirus pandemic shaping so many daily routines.
That takes on an enhanced meaning for University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman.
The event listed in a dry manner as “mandatory workouts” permitted by the NCAA beginning July 13 — 25 days before the first permissible preseason practice — could read more like “First FullTeam Gathering” on the football field in Pittman’s calendar.
The firstyear Razorbacks coach has not been a head coach since he was the man in charge at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College in 199293.
Due to the onset of the pandemic in mid-March, Pittman and his new staff did not get to conduct spring drills.
They had not presided over a full-team workout since coming aboard in December. Until the past few days. University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek got to see some of the football work this week.
“Sam Pittman has been unbelievable,” said Yurachek, who spoke Thursday about how his football coach is dealing with the uncertainties of this environment. “For someone who’s never been a head coach other than at the junior-college level early in his tenure, he has handled everything that has been thrown at him and his staff like he is a seasoned veteran head coach.”
Yurachek said he has been “incredibly impressed” with the way Pittman and his staff have navigated recruiting, online video instruction and staff communication.
The football staff’s preparation for the team-wide work this week showed top-flight organizational skills, Yurachek said.
“When we had our first opportunity for our coaches to truly be involved with our
players on the field for about an hour Tuesday afternoon, and how that was organized and to see him walking around and the excitement that he was walking around with,” Yurachek said, “I hope we get to play football just for him. Because I know he’s been waiting a long time for this opportunity, and he’s handled it like a champ.”
Based on the current NCAA calendar, the Razorbacks will get in roughly two weeks of the “required activities” workouts, which include weights, conditioning and film work. The strength and conditioning coaches led the workouts, and the entire coaching staff could attend.
That will be followed with the start Friday of required “summer access” with walkthroughs (including footballs) and meetings.
Schools have up to 20 hours of countable athletic-related activities per week. Those 20 hours can contain up to eight hours per week of weight training, conditioning and film review, though the film review can take up no more than two hours per week; up to one hour per day for walk- throughs, though no more than six hours per week; and up to one hour per day for meetings, and again no more than six hours per week. Two days off are required during this 14-day stretch that leads into preseason practice.
The Razorbacks can begin preseason practices 29 days before their first game, which is scheduled for Sept. 5 against Nevada at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. For Arkansas, that preseason practice start date could be Friday, Aug. 7.
Preseason practice must begin with five days of an acclimatization period, from Aug. 7 through Aug. 11. The limits on countable athletic-related activities, starting with the Razorbacks’ first day of classes or seven days before the season opener, are four hours per day and 20 hours per week.
All of those NCAA guidelines are contingent on keeping a football season on track.
Many smaller conferences announced this week they were suspending athletic competition through the fall. According to a count by The Associated Press, 315 games involving Division I teams had been canceled or postponed as of Friday afternoon.