On Wednesday night, the University of Arkansas announced that John Calipari would officially take over the basketball program. The Arkansas Razorbacks struggled this past basketball season after making three straight NCAA tournaments, including two Elite Eight appearances.
The basketball team was bad, and the football team was even worse. The Razorbacks struggled to compete in the SEC, finishing with a 4-8 overall record, including a 1-7 finish in SEC play. Many feel that if this season doesn’t go better, Sam Pittman, as well as many of the other coaches, will have to find a new job somewhere else.
Arkansas Football May Get More Money
One of Arkansas’s biggest concerns is that it does not have the NIL funding to compete with some of the other big SEC schools. However, with John Calipari now in Arkansas, it appears that the NIL opportunities are about to boost, which could help the football team.
Recently, the Arkansas Razorbacks have been using the Arkansas Edge collective, inviting fans to contribute to NIL funds to help pay players and recruits to the University of Arkansas. Up to this point, the program has not gone as well as many hope, with many fans concerned that their money will not actually make it to individual players but instead end up with the collective.
However, after last night’s press conference, it appears that more people are ready to jump into the NIL game, particularly for basketball. This is similar to how when people try a new food, they often are willing to try another similar food at that same restaurant. Similarly, people who John into the basketball program may be less reluctant to donate to the football, particularly if the team improves this upcoming season.
John Calipari is the Biggest Name in College Basketball
John Calipari may have had his best coaching days behind him, but that does not change the fact that he is currently the biggest name in the entire sport. Unlike professional leagues like the NFL and NBA, in college, the biggest names are often the coaches because they are the ones constant while the players leave after three or four years.
With Roy Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, and others stepping away from the game in the last few years, the biggest names remaining are John Calipari and Mark Few. However, Kentucky is a much bigger brand than Gonzaga, making it obvious that Calipari was the biggest name. So, what does this mean for the football team? Like anything else, no press is bad press, and Arkansas is currently getting a lot of press. There might be players who we’re not considering Arkansas but are now seeing the Razorback logo on SportsCenter and other programs and starting to get interested.
With the likely more money coming in through NIL and the attention that Arkansas is getting, it will not be shocking if Arkansas had a small or even significant boost in their recruiting and transfer portal rankings in the next few weeks. This may be the first time we’ve ever seen a college basketball coach truly affect the football team in a positive or negative way. There’s never been a bigger name that has changed to a different school, at least not during the NIL transfer portal error.
Arkansas Football Has a Winnable Schedule in 2024
Last season, the Arkansas Razorbacks actually hung with a few teams, including Alabama, Ole Miss, and nonconference for BYU. However, they were unable to come out on top. This upcoming season, they have a very winnable. Obviously, this has been taken with a grain of salt because there is no easy schedule in the SEC, but the Razorbacks do avoid having to play Florida, Alabama, Georgia, or Oklahoma. However, they also don’t get easier teams, including Vanderbilt, South Carolina, or themselves.
Overall, as a schedule goes in the SEC, the Razorbacks certainly will have a path to at least six wins, which should be enough for Sam Pittman and the rest of his coaching staff to stay at the University of Arkansas. Additionally, their non-conference slate is very winnable, with an exception to playing at Oklahoma State.
Again, this will not be easy for the Razorbacks, so they are looking for every advantage they can get, even if that means riding the wave and momentum that a new basketball coach brings to the University.