What Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman said about Auburn firing Bryan Harsin

FAYETTEVILLE — It turns out the loss to Arkansas was the final straw for Auburn football coach Bryan Harsin. The school announced Monday it had fired Harsin, and the release came just after Mississippi State athletic director John Cohen resigned to presumably take the same job at Auburn.

The Razorbacks crushed Auburn 41-27 on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, handing Harsin his fourth straight loss. It was the first time Arkansas had beaten Auburn since 2015, which was also its last road win over the Tigers.

The news of Harsin's firing broke just before Arkansas coach Sam Pittman met the media for his weekly press conference.

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"Obviously you hate for anybody to get let go," Pittman said. "It’s part of our business. I think the average is a little over three years of us guys in this league. But I know he did it the way he wanted to do it and worked extremely hard. I just hate for anybody to get let go."

Harsin lasted 21 games as Auburn's head coach, one game fewer than much-maligned Arkansas coach Chad Morris. Pittman was hired in December 2019 as Morris' successor.

"I don’t know the situation, but I’m sure he’ll be fine," Pittman said of Harsin. "He’s a really fine coach, and I’m sure if he elects to coach again that he’ll find a nice job."

Christina Long covers the Arkansas Razorbacks for the Southwest Times Record and USA TODAY Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@swtimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman comments on Bryan Harsin firing