FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach Sam Pittman acknowledged Monday that pressure is intensifying around his football program following back-to-back heartbreaking losses.
Fixing defensive effort, limiting turnovers and maintaining mental sharpness are essential before Saturday’s historic first meeting with Notre Dame.
Exactly how he’s planning on doing this is a little more vague.
‘More noise’ above familiar script
“You look at this week and of course there’s a lot more noise now around the program than even there was after last week,” Pittman said, referring to external criticism after narrow losses to Ole Miss and Memphis.
“So, you have some concern about … getting the team ready, but you also have the name of Notre Dame,” he said. “I mean, we’re all grown men in there. We’ve got to shake that off.”
Arkansas fell to Ole Miss and Memphis by one score in both games, with last-minute fumbles inside the opponent’s 25-yard line proving costly. Had they held on, the Razorbacks could have begun the season 4-0 instead of 2-2.
Defensive struggles have become a point of emphasis for Pittman. Against Memphis, Arkansas allowed 290 rushing yards, including a 64-yard burst late in the game by Sutton Smith that swung momentum.
Defensive breakdown: Missed tackles, effort, and assignments
Pittman highlighted three concerns: lack of physicality, missed tackles and mental lapses.
“We didn’t run to the football and we didn’t tackle well,” he said. “A lot of times not tackling is effort. Obviously, it’s technique, but it’s effort. We had more missed assignments offensively … We obviously had more turnovers than we have had.”
He also allowed for possible contributing factors beyond physical execution.
“It may have had something to do with the heat. I don’t know,” Pittman said. ”We’ve got to find that out today so it doesn’t happen to us again.”
Following the loss to Ole Miss, Arkansas scaled back their defensive scheme in hopes of getting fundamentals more consistent.
The result is improved coverage and quicker recognition, but still major problems unaddressed.
Arkansas performance snapshot
Here’s a quick look at Arkansas’ struggles in key areas through four games this season:
| Category | Stat | National Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Turnovers Lost | 7 (4 fumbles, 3 INTs) | T-96th |
| Rushing Yards Allowed (Memphis game) | 290 | — |
| Missed Tackles (avg per game) | 13 | Bottom third nationally |
| Red Zone Turnovers | 2 | T-101st |
Simplifying scheme hasn’t fixed root issues
“They were pretty simple … our kids got a chance to make the reads,” Pittman said. “We were better in coverage. But … if you’re giving up, say, 400 yards rushing … you can’t brag about a great pass defense.”
The upcoming Notre Dame game represents more than just a marquee non-conference matchup.
It’s a chance for Arkansas to respond after early season setbacks and quiet some criticism.
Pittman admitted that though expectations are large, the pressure this week is similar to what he has felt over recent seasons.
“It’d be kind of hard to have more pressure,” he said. “The pressure you put on yourself is obviously a lot because you want to do well … But I’ve kind of had this same type pressure for, I don’t know, three years now.”
What must improve
• Turnovers: Mistakes in key moments have cost Arkansas two close games. Avoiding fumbles and errors inside critical yardage will be essential.
• Effort & tackling: Gaps in physicality and poor tackling are recurring issues that Pittman says stem from effort and focus, not just scheme.
• Mental focus & consistency: The Razorbacks must sharpen their assignments, respond better when fatigued or under heat, and eliminate late-game lapses.
Media reports and analysis from Sports Illustrated echo Pittman’s concerns, noting that many fans and commentators are questioning his job status following the recent collapses.
Official previews by Arkansas’ athletic department also stress that the game against Notre Dame carries significant weight, both for recruiting and the overall perception of the program.
As Arkansas prepares for Notre Dame in Fayetteville, Pittman and his staff face a dual task: address tangible execution issues and manage external expectations.
Whether through improvements in tackling, turnovers, or mental preparation, the Razorbacks will need results on the field to shift the narrative and meet what many regard as a make-or-break moment.
Arkansas-Notre Dame: Early-season comparison
Here’s how the teams stack up so far this season (per-game averages). Figures reflect ESPN’s updated team pages as of Sept. 22, 2025.
| Category | Arkansas | Notre Dame |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 2–2 | 1–2 |
| Points per game | 43.5 | 44.0 |
| Total yards per game | 552.0 | 426.0 |
| Passing yards per game | 324.3 | 265.0 |
| Rushing yards per game | 227.8 | 161.0 |
| Turnover ratio | 0 | -1 |
| Time of possession | 29:27 | 30:23 |
Notes:
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The ESPN Arkansas team page lists 43.5 PPG, 324.3 pass yds/g, 227.8 rush yds/g, 552.0 total yds/g, TO ratio 0, 29:27 TOP.
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The ESPN Notre Dame team page lists 44.0 PPG, 265.0 pass yds/g, 161.0 rush yds/g, 426.0 total yds/g, TO ratio –1, 30:23 TOP.
Key takeaways
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Sam Pittman recognizes external criticism is growing after Arkansas’ narrow losses and insists the team must “shake off” distractions ahead of Notre Dame.
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Defensive problems — missed tackles, lack of physicality, and turnovers — continue despite simplified schemes; effort remains central to the fix.
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Saturday’s game vs. Notre Dame is not only historic but pivotal: a win could shift momentum; a loss may amplify scrutiny of Pittman’s performance.