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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ decision to hire a career offensive line coach as its next head coach was met with skepticism around the country, but the most optimistic fans pointed to another coach within the division to show what was possible.
As Sam Pittman took over the Razorbacks, LSU - led by Ed Orgeron - was putting the finishing touches on an incredible run to the national championship.
Orgeron had spent most of his career as a defensive line coach, granted with a short stint as Ole Miss’ head coach, before becoming the Tigers’ head coach, somewhat similar to Pittman’s journey as an offensive line coach.
“I think it makes it easier - maybe it does, maybe it doesn't - for athletic directors to hire non-coordinators, non-head coaches, and I think he proved that it can be done,” Pittman said. “I was very thankful to him because I think he's one of the guys - there's about 3-4 of them - that started the opportunities for non-coordinators to be head coaches.”
Pittman was so thankful that he actually called Orgeron earlier this week to tell him.
Speaking on the weekly SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday, the LSU coach said he appreciated the phone call - which doesn’t happen a lot during the season.
“I rarely talk to any other coach in the SEC,” Orgeron said. “But Coach Pittman and I, we’re both line coaches. I consider ourselves friends and there’s a mutual respect between he and I.”
Following Orgeron’s path to a national championship is obviously the ultimate goal, but Pittman is hopeful the comparison between the two coaches goes deeper than that.
“I know that if you speak of him, words like recruiter, players coach, motivator... things of that nature come from other people when you talk about Coach Orgeron,” Pittman said. “So hopefully some of those things come out about myself and our staff.”
Here are a few other notes, tidbits and stats from the week leading up to Saturday’s game against LSU, which will kick off at 11 a.m. CT and be televised on the SEC Network…
Catalon the Key
Through the first eight weeks of the season, Jalen Catalon has emerged as one of the best safeties in the SEC. In fact, Pro Football Focus ranks him second behind only Tennessee’s Trevon Flowers.
Despite being just a redshirt freshman, Pittman considers him the “captain” of the Razorbacks’ secondary.
“We're so fortunate that he's young, that he's a freshman, but in mentality, he's a senior,” Pittman said. “He's very, very smart on the field and in the classroom. … He's just real valuable to us.
“He's got that calm demeanor about him, kind of that silent assassin type about his personality. He will hit you and I think there's different games this year where he sets the tone about what's going to go on out there.”
There are older players - such as cornerback Montaric Brown and safety Joe Foucha - and more experienced players - like nickel back Greg Brooks Jr. - in the back end of Arkansas’ defense, but Catalon stands out even to his teammates.
“He's always talking,” Brooks said. “That's one thing about him, he's always talking no matter what. No matter what's going on, he's always talking. That's what I love about that dude.”
Asked about him earlier this week, Orgeron described Catalon as an “outstanding player” and “great athlete.”
