Enos’ firing not surprising after precipitous drop in Arkansas offensive output

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

It did not come as a surprise that Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman fired offensive coordinator Dan Enos effective immediately on Sunday after an overall punchless first eight game this season. 

Pittman elevated 32-year-old Razorback wide receiver coach Kenny Guiton (2010-2013), a former Ohio State quarterback, to take over as the interim OC and handle play calling duties for the rest of the season for Arkansas(2-6, 0-5).

The new was first reported by college football writer Brandon Marcello and then was confirmed by Arkansas,  who are on a six-game losing streak and have a bye this week before playing at Florida on Nov. 4.

Pittman will have his regular Monday press conference at noon.

The final straw came on Saturday as Arkansas was limited to 200 yards total offense and failed to score a touchdown in a 7-3 home loss to Mississippi State.

It was the fourth  game in a row Arkansas had failed to score over 22 points under Enos, who also courted controversy by responding to emails from fans, something that was confirmed after an FOIA search by Rivals.

The Razorback offense, which was ranked 15th nationally  in total offense under Kendal Briles last season at 471 yards per game, had plummeted under Enos to 119th overall (305.9) out of 133 teams and last in the 14-team SEC this season.

That included a staggering drop in the run game from 236.7 yards per game last season to 109 a contest this campaign under Enos, who had also been an assistant at Alabama, Miami, Michigan State and his alma mater Michigan State and head coach for five years at Central Michigan.

There has also been a six-point difference in points per game (26.5), which is 82nd nationally – also last in the league – and one of six SEC teams to average less than 30 points this season.

The Razorbacks’ 196.9 passing yards per game (102nd in the country) and 109 rushing yards per contest (114th nationally) are both 12th in the SEC.

Pittman’s program has lost 12 of its last 18 games overall and 10 of its last 12 SEC games.

Guiton, who will be a first-time play caller,  previously coaches wide receivers at Houston, Louisiana Tech and Colorado State.

He also served as a quality control coach at Texas under former Longhorns coach Tom Herman.

Pittman had Enos, who had previously been at Arkansas from 2015-2017, away from Maryland this offseason when Briles left for TCU.

Enos signed a three-year contract at 1.1 miller per year with Arkansas, who paid him over $400,000 than he was making at Maryland.

If he had still been employed at Arkansas in 2024 and 2025, Enos would have gotten a $70,000 salary bump in each year. 

Photo by John D. James