(BCSNN) -- Arkansas dismissed head coach Sam Pittman on Sunday following a 2–3 start to the 2025 season, ending his tenure in the middle of his sixth season at the helm. Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who previously led the Razorbacks from 2008 to 2011, will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

The move comes after a 56–13 home loss to Notre Dame, Arkansas’s third straight defeat, having fallen to Ole Miss and Memphis in the previous weeks. Pittman finishes with a 32–34 overall record and 14–29 mark in SEC play, including a 9–4 campaign in 2021 that marked his high-water mark in Fayetteville.

Athletic director Hunter Yurachek said that he wants the program headed in the right direction as it prepares for the second half of the season.

“I want to thank Coach Pittman for his service and dedication to the University of Arkansas throughout his time as head coach,” said Yurachek. “From Day 1, you could tell how much this opportunity meant to him. At this time, however, I feel a change is necessary to put our student-athletes and program in the best position to be successful. The goal for our football program is to be highly competitive within the Southeastern Conference and compete for a national championship. As we move forward in the process of finding our next head coach, I am certain we will be able to provide the necessary resources to our staff and team to reach our goals. We will begin a national search for our next head coach immediately and that search will include Coach Petrino, who has expressed his desire to be a candidate for the full-time job.”

Petrino, 64, returns to the top job more than a decade after his controversial exit. He compiled a 34–17 record in his first stint with Arkansas, including a No. 5 national finish in 2011. His tenure ended in 2012 following a motorcycle accident and subsequent university investigation.

Since then, Petrino has coached at Western Kentucky, Louisville, and Missouri State, and served as offensive coordinator at Texas A&M in 2023. He joined Pittman’s staff in 2024 and helped elevate Arkansas’s offensive production, with the Razorbacks averaging 43.5 points per game through Week 4.

Arkansas enters its bye week before traveling to Tennessee on Oct. 11. Yurachek confirmed Petrino will be considered for the permanent role as the university begins its national search.