BREAKING: Arkansas fires Dan Enos
The following is a statement from Arkansas Communications
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Head Coach Sam Pittman has relieved offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dan Enos of his duties and he is no longer a member of the Razorbacks’ program effective immediately. Wide receivers coach and former Ohio State quarterback Kenny Guiton will take over play calling duties for the Hogs for the remainder of the season.
The Razorbacks are on a bye this week and return to action on Nov. 4 at Florida before finishing with three straight games at home beginning Nov. 11 against Auburn.
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HawgBeat's Reaction
The writing was on the wall for a while with this one. Really after the whole email debacle following the 34-22 loss to Texas A&M, it was only a matter of time before Arkansas moved on from Dan Enos.
It seems like Pittman hired Enos because it was the easy hire to make. They served on the 2015 Arkansas offensive staff together and that group was very successful. It just didn't work this time around.
Every offensive player Arkansas has was recruited by former offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, who is now at TCU. Imagine how this offense would look with Briles calling the plays for third-year starting quarterback KJ Jefferson.
Instead, through eight games, the Razorbacks ranked 119th in the country in total offense (305.9), 114th in rushing offense (109.0), 102nd in passing offense (196.9) and 82nd in scoring offense (26.5). The players just don't fit the scheme and it seems Enos never did anything about it.
The offense has single-handedly lost the Razorbacks each of the last three games. First-year defensive coordinator Travis Williams' group has done everything it could to limit opponents, and they most recently held Mississippi State to seven points Saturday.
Enos' offense didn't score at all against a Bulldog defense that was one of the worst in the SEC. The three points were thanks to an interception early in the first quarter that set the offense up in Mississippi State territory.
Pittman is a loyal guy, and that loyalty hurt him with the Enos hire. The Hogs have lost six straight and now they go into a bye week with a new interim play-caller in receivers coach Kenny Guiton, who has never called a play.
Guiton will probably run something similar to the up tempo offense we saw under Briles, as Guiton worked under Briles on multiple occasions. How much the offense can change in less than two weeks is to be determined.
To save his own job, Pittman will need to win at least another game this season with Florida, Auburn, Florida International and Missouri left on the schedule. The firing of Enos is a good start, but there needs to be a positive result that comes out of this.
The Hogs will take this week off and then travel to Gainesville, Florida, for a Nov. 4 matchup with the Gators.