What Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said about Missouri football before the game

Real rivalry or not, the recent record is rather one-sided.

Missouri football will face Arkansas in the regular season finale Saturday afternoon in Columbia, where snowfall is possible at Faurot Field during the game. The Tigers have never lost to the Razorbacks on their home field. Since Eli Drinkwitz took over the program, MU is 3-1 against the team from Fayetteville.

Like almost every year, the question of the legitimacy of the MU-UA rivalry takes center stage in Arkansas.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman answered some questions about that and more this week in Fayetteville. Here’s what the Razorbacks coach said about Mizzou:

More:Missouri Football vs. Arkansas: Scouting report, regular season finale score prediction

More:Missouri football DB Phillip Roche is no longer with the program, a team spokesman confirms

On Missouri football’s recent series dominance: “They beat us hands down”

Missouri is 8-2 since the Battle Line Rivalry was founded in 2014. The Tigers let the Hogs compete on their own field in Fayetteville last season.

The recent struggles have not been lost on Pittman.

“There is a presentation of their football team on Monday and I think (the recent record) is certainly part of that. “Anything that you think can be a little bit more motivating, and that shouldn’t take anything else,” Pittman said. “We are playing for a trophy. We’re playing Missouri. They are a rival game for us. Last year they completely defeated us. That should motivate us.”

Much of the discussion leading up to the game revolved around whether the rivalry between the neighboring countries was increasing; whether there is another reason for the two teams to really dislike each other.

Pittman, perhaps avoiding the bulletin board material, may have been serious, saying he puts Mizzou at the top of Arkansas’ rivalry totem pole with LSU and Texas.

Whether true or not, they are linked for the foreseeable future. And recent history has not favored the Hogs.

“We played against them for four years and won one of them – out here. That puts us 1-3. So, you know, the first year we were out there, I think we scored two goals and we messed around and got it done and then with 30 or 40 seconds left, they went down, got scored a field goal and beat us,” Pittman said. “And we had some good games. Obviously it wasn’t last year and it was for her. So it’s hard to win. You see other teams coming to Missouri and playing there. I think they’re undefeated at home this year and it’s a tough place to play.”

About Eli Drinkwitz: “He stirred up a lot”

Is there anyone else in the league who hasn’t been in the crosshairs of MU coach Eli Drinkwitz’s excitement?

Well, Arkansas fans appear to be at the top of the list of injured parties.

Pittman has been hearing about this for some time.

“I have respect for (Eli). “He made a difference, not just in Arkansas,” said Pittman. “That’s why I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a great coach now and you don’t want him to have the ball on the last drive. I mean, you don’t because he’s outstanding and has won a lot of games that way. You know, it’s a rivalry. When we came here he told me that he would also try to cause a stir.

“I respect the guy. He obviously did a really good job there. You know, we are rivals and they have the trophy and have had it for two years and we would like to get it back.”

About Brady Cook: “He’s a winner”

Saturday’s game will be Brady Cook’s final game at Faurot Field. Missouri football’s third-year starting quarterback will be ineligible at the end of this season.

The Arkansas coach, who is 0-2 against Cook, was asked what makes Cook difficult to contain.

“Athletic; can throw; “Probably knows the offense as well as his coach,” Pittman said. “He’s a winner, and those guys are scary. I mean, he’s a winner. And like I said, you could just get through it “Feeling the TV when he came back to the Auburn game – that certainly made a big difference in that game.”

When recruiting Missouri; Mizzou is recruiting Arkansas

One of the reasons Drinkwitz isn’t the most popular guy in his home state right now is his recent recruiting successes. Arkansas native wide receiver Courtney Crutchfield and running back Austyn Dendy received Missouri Tiger-themed billboards in their hometowns after committing to the team in CoMo.

Pittman was asked somewhat bluntly why there aren’t as many players from the Show-Me State on Arkansas’ roster. This is what he said:

“Well, I look at their two-deep and I don’t think there are a lot of Arkansas kids in that two-deep. But to answer your question about Missouri (recruiting), we tried,” Pittman said. “They have really good players, especially Kansas City and St. Louis. Missouri gets a lot of these kids. Oklahoma has welcomed many children from Kansas City. … We’ve been trying to increase our headcount in those areas because they’re close to each other, and especially with (I-49) now all the way through, it’s even quicker to get there.”

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What Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said about Missouri football before the game

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