College Students, get a year of HawgBeat coverage for just $11.95. Request details via email from your school account (.edu) to nchavanelle@yahoo.com.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe for free for 30 days w/code HAWGS30
NEW USERS | RETURNING USERS
FAYETTEVILLE — The result of Sam Pittman’s COVID-19 test taken Monday has come back positive, the UA announced Tuesday.
That confirms the positive result he initially received Monday morning after after taking a regularly scheduled PCR test Sunday, along with the rest of the team. The first-year coach was the only person to test positive.
Pittman, who is asymptomatic, is self isolating at home and will remain in a 10-day quarantine. He will be able to return to work next Thursday, a couple of day before the LSU game.
However, he won’t be able to travel to Gainesville, Fla., and be on the sideline for Arkansas’ game against No. 6 Florida. Defensive coordinator Barry Odom, who was the head coach at Missouri the last four years, will serve as the interim coach during Pittman’s absence.
“As far as the voice of the team and those things, that’ll be Coach Odom,” Pittman said Monday. “Certainly if I’m not able to go to Florida on Saturday, he’ll act as the head coach and he’ll do a damn fine job I’m sure.”
Although he won’t be able to attend meetings or practice in person, Pittman said he plans to continue watching film and doing most of the other things he’d do at the Razorbacks’ football facilities. He doesn’t plan to watch practices live, but will meet with the team virtually beforehand and watch the entire film immediately afterward to provide feedback to coaches.
