Sep 14, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners head coach Jeff Traylor looks on during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

It's still September, and we already have an open job in the SEC.

Sam Pittman is out at Arkansas following a 56-13 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday that dropped his team to 2-3 on the season. The decision to fire Pittman, who was 32-34 in six years, was made on Sunday as offensive coordinator and former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino was promoted to the interim role.

Pittman was well-liked at Arkansas and steered the program back on track after the disastrous Chad Morris era. He also saw some moderate success, winning nine games in his second season in 2021. That success didn't last, however, and Pittman hadn't won more than seven games in a season since.

The Arkansas job is an interesting one. While it may not be the highest-profile job in the league, it has proven to be capable of at least brief stints of success. It likely won't be the only job in the SEC that opens in this cycle, but it's the one that's getting a head start.

With that in mind, here are several early names to keep an eye on that could be in the mix for this job.

Jeff Traylor, UTSA head coach

Traylor's name will likely be one that's heavily connected to this opening. It has long been speculated in the industry that Traylor would be a target if Pittman were to move on or be fired, and now, that could become a reality.

Traylor was previously the associate head coach at Arkansas from 2018-19, and he has turned the Roadrunners into one of the Group of Five's most consistent programs, holding a 48-22 record in six seasons.

His background coaching in Texas, one of Arkansas' top recruiting grounds, is also a plus. It's a bit surprising he hasn't made the jump to the power conference ranks already, but this could prove to be the kind of job he's been waiting for.

Jon Sumrall, Tulane head coach

It's been speculated Sumrall would one day be a head coach in the SEC since his early success at Troy. He ultimately parlayed that job into the head coaching role at one of the most resourced programs in the G5, Tulane, and he's 13-6 with the Green Wave in his second season. He's also 36-10 overall as a head coach.

Sumrall is a former Kentucky player, but he has some ties to the region as he was born in Texarkana, Texas. It would be shocking if Sumrall's name doesn't come up quite a bit for this job, but Arkansas may have to contend with several more attractive openings in the SEC this year, depending on how things break.

Bobby Petrino, Arkansas interim coach

Why not run it back?

That was a rhetorical question. I know the potential "why?" Look, Petrino's past at Arkansas is what it is, but obviously, his prior conduct wasn't viewed as enough of a liability to avoid bringing him back on staff or promoting him to the interim coach role.

If Arkansas can pull off a couple of upsets down the stretch, it wouldn't be surprising to see Petrino in play to get the full-time job. He's proven he can win in Fayetteville, and he's had success as a head coach since. Petrino developed Lamar Jackson at Louisville and led Missouri State to a pair of FCS playoff appearances in his most recent head coaching gig.

He's 64, so Arkansas could be looking for someone younger and with less baggage, but this is far too realistic a possibility to ignore it on this list.

Rhett Lashlee, SMU head coach

Lashlee navigated SMU's promotion to the power conference ranks about as well as he possibly could have, guiding the Mustangs to the ACC title game and a College Football Playoff bid. It's been a bit more of a struggle in 2025, but he's still been wildly successful in Dallas.

He's 31-14 at SMU with a pair of 11-win seasons, and he's a former Arkansas quarterback. His alma mater will almost certainly take a look, and the Gus Malzahn protégé could be intrigued by the job, given the ACC's uncertain future.

Barry Odom, Purdue head coach

Odom's first season at Purdue probably isn't going to be anything to write home about, but his previous track record is more than enough to earn him a look at this job.

He has previous SEC head coaching experience, and though he was fired with a .500 record at Missouri, he also never had a losing season after his first campaign. In his two years at UNLV before taking the Boilermakers job, he was 19-8 and turned the Rebels into one of the top programs in the Group of Five.

Odom, an Oklahoma native, is a regional fit and has familiarity with the program after spending the first three seasons of Pittman's tenure as his associate head coach and defensive coordinator.

Purdue is one of the toughest jobs in the Big Ten, and Arkansas could give him a lifeline back to the SEC.

GJ Kinne, Texas State head coach

If the Razorbacks want a bit of a more offensively innovative hire with the same pros as Traylor, Kinne could emerge as an option. His name is already being brought up for the opening at Oklahoma State, and Arkansas is a much better job.

Kinne, who at 36 would become one of the Power Four's youngest head coaches, is 19-11 at Texas State, where he's built a competent program at a school that hadn't found much success in its first decade at the FBS level. Kinne has also had very successful offenses dating back to his one-year tenure at FCS Incarnate Word.

If Arkansas wants to hire a younger, up-and-coming offensive mind, this is perhaps the most obvious choice.

Ryan Silverfield, Memphis head coach

Could Arkansas look to hire the coach who played a major role in Pittman's firing?

It's a bit surprising Silverfield hasn't gotten more play in mid-tier power conference searches like this one. He found himself on a bit of a warming seat a few years ago but has really turned things around, winning double-digit games in the last two seasons.

Memphis is currently 5-0, boasting a win over the Hogs, and could be a College Football Playoff contender this season. He's familiar with the recruiting landscape, and he holds a 47-21 record as a head coach.

Gus Malzahn, Florida State offensive coordinator

Of course, if Arkansas doesn't want the mentee (Lashlee), it could just hire the mentor. Malzahn is also a former Arkansas player who was previously an FBS coach in the state at Arkansas State.

He was fired at Auburn with a 68-35 record despite never finishing with a losing season and leading the program to the BCS national championship game in Year 1. His stint at UCF didn't go as well as the Knights struggled following the move to the Big 12, and he left after 2024 to become the offensive coordinator at Florida State.

Malzahn has invigorated the offense in Tallahassee, and while he may not be interested in being a college head coach again, he's also only 59. Could he be due for a second stint in the SEC?

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Potential candidates to replace Sam Pittman as Arkansas head coach

Reporting by Tyler Nettuno, College Sports Wire / College Sports Wire

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