FAYETTEVILLE -- Sam Pittman and Shane Beamer are 15 years apart in age, but there is plenty of respect between the relatively new head coaches whose teams will meet Saturday at 11 a.m. in Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Pittman, 60, and the 45-year-old Beamer were on the same staff at Georgia for Coach Kirby Smart in 2016 and 2017. The Bulldogs lost to Alabama in the College Football Playoff championship game in 2017, and Beamer went on to join Lincoln Riley's Oklahoma staff as assistant head coach the following year while Pittman stayed on another couple of seasons before taking the reins at Arkansas.
Beamer got his first head coaching job at South Carolina in December 2020. He was tight ends and special teams coach at Georgia, working closely with the offensive line coach Pittman.
"At Georgia, I learned so much from him," Beamer said Tuesday. "He was a huge help to me in my career. When I got hired at Georgia ... I'd never coached tight ends before in my life.
"Sam helped me so much as the offensive line coach and the tight end coach worked very closely together, and he was very patient and taught me a lot about offensive line play and tight end play. I learned a lot from him and I've got a ton of respect for him."
Pittman and Beamer actually lived in the same subdivision but saw each other a lot more often at work.
"We worked together in the same meetings for 14 hours a day, so we knew each other well," Pittman said. "He has a wonderful family, beautiful family. He'd always go on bike rides and walks through the neighborhood and stop in and say hello. He's just a really good man, really good coach. Energetic guy.
"We didn't hang out. To be honest with you, you don't hang out with anybody. You're tired of seeing people when you go home. ... Shane's a wonderful guy, great coach and looking forward to seeing him."
Out of green
Tailback Dominque Johnson and center Marcus Henderson were both out of green non-contact jerseys for the first time this season Tuesday.
Johnson is recovering from January knee surgery and is questionable for Saturday's game against South Carolina. He rushed for 575 yards on 97 carries and led the team with 7 rushing touchdowns and 5.9 yards per carry as a sophomore. Johnson made six starts at tailback to Trelon Smith's seven.
Henderson, who is healing from a pectoral muscle injury suffered during the summer, was the second-team center in the spring. True freshman Patrick Kutas is listed in that spot on this week's depth chart.
Hogs up to 16
The Razorbacks jumped up three spots to No. 16 in the Associated Press top 25 poll released Tuesday after the Labor Day weekend. The AP rankings are the poll of record for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Arkansas was an even bigger riser in the USA Today coaches poll, rocketing from No. 23 to No. 17 after last Saturday's win over Cincinnati, which dropped out of both sets of rankings.
The Razorbacks' highest ranking Tuesday was No. 13 in the Football Writers Association of America's Super 16 rankings.
Roster notes
Defensive backs Jalen Catalon and Myles Slusher were not at Tuesday's practice and doubtful for Saturday's game after both were injured in last week's 31-24 win over Cincinnati.
Khari Johnson teamed with safeties Simeon Blair and Latavious Brini, nickel back Jayden Johnson and cornerbacks Hudson Clark and Dwight McGlothern in the Razorbacks' 3-2-6 alignment during fastball starts.
Terry Hampton worked at first-team nose guard in the 3-2-6 set, flanked by ends Zach Williams and Eric Gregory with linebackers Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders on the second level.
The second unit featured a four-man front, with Cam Ball and Marcus Miller at tackle and Chris Paul and Jordan Crook at linebacker. The secondary consisted of corners Malik Chavis and LaDarrius Bishop bracketing nickel Jacorrei Turner and safeties Trent Gordon and Zach Zimos.
Isaiah Nichols, who has practiced both days this week after having an undisclosed, apparently minor, injury Saturday, gave the pre-flex hype talk to the team.
Fastballs
KJ Jefferson went 0 for 2 during fastball starts oTuesday but both of his passes were pretty well on target. Wideout Warren Thompson had a drop, a rare one for the first unit, on an intermediate route over the right side on the second snap. Jefferson fired a pass for Ketron Jackson Jr. up a seam on the third play, but defensive backs Latavious Brini and Khari Johnson were both in position and broke the play up.
Raheim Sanders had a short RPO run over the right side on the first play of the sequence.
Malik Hornsby went 1 for 1 during three plays with the second unit, completing an inside route to slot receiver Isaiah Sategna on snap No. 3. Hornsby ran at the right edge on first down and he gave to AJ Green for a run over the left side on second down.
Domineck wins
Transfer defensive end Jordan Domineck was named SEC defensive lineman of the week after his key 10-yard strip sack and fumble recovery against Ben Bryant on Saturday led to the decisive touchdown in Arkansas' win over Cincinnati.
"I honestly have to give the honor to my teammates, though, because they're the ones that came into the game. They're the ones that made those huge plays," Domineck said Tuesday night. "Like, I made one big play, but our D-line was up there on the 3, you know? They were able to turn the tide of that game."
Game day glitch
UA Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek posted a message on social media Tuesday thanking the "nearly 75,000 Razorback fans" who helped the team earn a 31-24 win over Cincinnati and assuring them game day improvements are coming.
"With near-capacity crowds anticipated for the remainder of the season, I wanted to let you know that we are working to revise procedures to make stadium entry more efficient as well as address other issues involving travel to and from the game," Yurachek wrote.
"I apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced this past weekend and want to let you know that we will continue to take steps to enhance your game day experience."
Ray Guy boss
South Carolina punter Kai Kroeger was named the Ray Guy Award national punter of the week Tuesday after being named to the "Ray's 8" weekly list on Monday.
Kroeger, a 6-4, 207-pound left footer was questionable with a foot injury for Week 1, but he played against Georgia State and averaged 49.1 yards on seven punts. He hit three punts of 50-plus yards, including a 79-yarder and dropped four inside the 20. His 79-yard boot was the longest for a Gamecock since Marty Simpson also hit one covering 79 yards against Vanderbilt in 1992.