By Steve Brawner, © 2019 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

If you ever are named a head football coach – or CEO or governor or president of the United States – learn from the University of Arkansas’ Sam Pittman to see how to act in your introductory press conference.

The new head football coach won the press conference, and surely the hearts of those watching, through his authenticity and sincerity Dec. 9. Clearly, the 58-year-old first-time head coach raised in nearby eastern Oklahoma – who fought back tears at times – really, really wanted this job.

Just as important as his sincerity was his proper setting of expectations. Pointedly avoiding slogans, he promised only that his “blue collar” Razorbacks would work hard, excel in the fundamentals and try to score more points than the other team.

The press conference came two years and two days after his predecessor’s introduction, which was markedly different.

Unlike Pittman, former head football coach Chad Morris set himself up for failure, saying the Razorbacks would win championships like the Clemson program he had formerly served as offensive coordinator.

“Offensively, you won’t find a more explosive offense in all of college football,” he promised, which therefore became what fans immediately expected. Fans took him at his word when he said, “We’re going to put it in the left lane, we’re going to put the hammer down, and we’re going to have fun.”

None of those things happened. Morris’ teams were 4-18 in the under two years he coached. So take note, future new head coaches, CEOs, governors and presidents: Don’t overpromise. It creates unrealistic expectations.

Pittman inherits an athletic program that has nowhere to go but up. Only eight years ago, former head coach Bobby Petrino had the team in contention for a national championship up until the end of the year. Then his infamous motorcycle accident turned the entire program into a train wreck. Since then, the Razorbacks have been 13-49 in the Southeastern Conference, six wins worse than second worst Vanderbilt. The Razorbacks have lost 17 SEC games in a row for the second time since Petrino was fired. Meanwhile, the program suffered embarrassing losses to second-tier teams paid to play because they were supposed to be easy wins.

For Pittman, the road ahead will be challenging. Arkansas plays in the toughest division in the toughest conference against teams with more storied histories and natural recruiting advantages. As reported by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the website 247Sports ranked the state of Arkansas last among SEC states in producing blue-chip recruits the past five seasons – 16 here compared to 249 in Florida, 238 in Texas and 173 in Georgia. Louisiana produced 73 such recruits over that period, four-and-a-half times as many as Arkansas, which is a big reason why Louisiana State University is one of four teams still competing for a national championship. For Arkansas to win consistently, it must hold on to the state’s small number of top recruits, raid other states of theirs, and then overachieve. It can be done, but it won’t be easy.

For all of those reasons, it’s time for fans to dial back their expectations – at least the next few years and perhaps permanently. Next year a new coach will lead a team whose seniors will be adjusting to their third staff and system. In addition to playing Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M and Auburn, the Razorbacks also will play Notre Dame on its turf. Likely, 4-8 would be a pretty successful year (and the same number of wins as the past two years combined).

Fans tend to think a return to the glory days is just around the corner. But the Razorbacks’ shared 1964 national championship is now 55 years in the rearview mirror, while the famous 1969 game against Texas is now half a century old. Since then, the program has had its moments but rarely has been a top 10 program.

Given the program’s recent history, daunting schedule and recruiting disadvantages, fans should probably expect between six and eight wins most seasons, including the bowl game, and then occasionally it will be worse or better.

Seven wins a season would be 2.4 better than the Hogs have averaged the past eight years. It would be almost as good as the 7.5 wins averaged under the Razorbacks’ last long-term coach, Houston Nutt, who also really, really wanted to be Arkansas’ coach but  was run out of town when he couldn’t meet fans’ expectations.