SI: Bret Bielema is the Right Man for the Job

Good article

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 First off, media and fans, you aren’t allowed to yell at Bret to shut up after encouraging him to talk and strut around all offseason. I’m not just talking about local journalists like myself who were happy to see the Hogs getting some respect again. Dennis Dodd of CBS, the Associated Press, SB Nation, and many others all took the time write about, laugh with, and praise coach Bielema’s “swagger” and jokes. I know here in Arkansas we loved the “Borderline Erotic” comment about beating Texas. This is who Bret Bielema is. Stop pretending like you didn’t know that he has a propensity to speak his mind.

Secondly, as I stated earlier when talking about having to replace so many key players on defense, the Arkansas Razorbacks are simply not the same team from last year. The loss of Spaight, Flowers, Philon, and Mitchel have left the Hogs with massive holes to fill, and Hog fans just kinda thought we would be ok. Hog fans were clearly wrong.

And that, friends, is the thing that makes 2015 and 2012 so similar, and kind of the only thing. You thought you could run a Bobby Petrino offense in 2012 without Bobby Petrino? False. That cannot be done. The lack of Bobby on the sidelines and in practice killed that team. You thought that a team that only has 14 players on it from 2 combined recruiting classes, both recruited by a coach in Petrino that is notorious for not recruiting defenses, would be able to replace 4 NFL quality defenders? False. Just like in 2012, fans cry about the wrong things. John L. Smith wasn’t the catalyst, he was the scapegoat. Do you REALLY think that with Petrino in 2012 that team would have won 10 games? There was no way. That defense lost Jake Bequette, Jerry Franklin, Jericho Nelson, and other key players, and was in no shape to play in the SEC. I mean, the leading tackler on that 2012 team was Ross Rasner. So is it really that surprising that the 2015 Razorbacks are struggling defensively? It shouldn’t be.

This brings me to my final point, and the reason I wrote this essay on the state of the Razorbacks: Bret Bielema is the best solution for the Hogs ills. The biggest problem for the Razorbacks right now is lack of depth. In his first year at Arkansas, Bielema was able to get guys like Alex Collins, Hunter Henry, Martell Spaight, Carroll Washington, Denver Kirkland, and Dan Skipper. His first class was impressive, and every class going forward has been good. If you go look at the 2015 class, you’ll see a lot of names that you might not recognize. That’s because they’re redshirting. For the first time since Bielema got to Arkansas, he’s built up enough depth at some positions that he has the luxury of redshirting players.

Bielema is rebuilding the program the right way. He’s getting quality players that stay out of trouble and get good grades. The program just isn’t as far along as fans thought it was. The defense is going to be an issue for a while. Not to keep harping on Petrino’s lack of recruiting for that side of the ball, but there is not a single Petrino recruited linebacker on the team any more. At all. In 2011 and 2012, there were a combined 7 linebackers signed by the Hogs. None of them made in through 2012. That type of lack of depth is showing on the field right now, as true freshman Dre Greenlaw is now starting at weakside linebacker.

I understand the frustration, Hog nation. I really do. I’m sick of being the doormat in the division just like you are. I’m obviously upset at the way the Hogs have played so far, and the 2012 comparisons are understandable. But I don’t feel like I did in 2012. We had no head coach and no recruiting going on, and were just left hopeless. That’s not the case anymore.

Last year’s recruiting class was the highest rated class in Razorbacks history, going by overall star rankings. This year’s class could actually be better, with the addition of McTelvin Agim, an ESPN 5 star defensive end. While a losing season may impact recruiting some, the loss of a head coach would be devastating to this program. That would be the 3rd new coach in 9 years, meaning a 3rd rebuild in a decade. No coach will take on that task. You will not get a good hire. Bret Bielema is a good coach, that is in a tough situation, and is coming through it exactly like we all knew he would: loudly. Don’t concern yourself with what Bielema says. You shouldn’t be concerned until he stops talking. A silent Bielema is about as ominous a thing as I can think of.

Also, his buyout is like, a billion dollars or something. So we’re not firing him, anyway

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the more i think about it, i'm not so much mad that we sucked, I'm mpissed that we were dooked into thinking we'd be good.


If coach would have came out and said "look we're replacing 4 NFL players on defense, we're young and thin at linebackers and were playing guards at tackle, we're a year away or 2 from being where we want to go. sorry this is the handd i was dealt" i would have been okay with that.

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the more i think about it, i'm not so much mad that we sucked, I'm mpissed that we were dooked into thinking we'd be good.

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I suggest, quit listening to the "talking heads" in state and out of state.
Also the coach speak could've been BS..



Hey, I heard that Allbarn had a great chance to make it to the CFP.

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Their right. He's ours for years to come. Hopefully, this article is spot on. I'm an impatient person. frick it, I'll just sit back and enjoy the asswhippings. I really do hope he does well. But the lack of wins in close games is VERY concerning.

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It is. We all blamed it on Chaney last year, but now that scapegoat is gone. If I'm not mistaken BB also had a poor record in close games at Wisconsin. To not criticize BB for that at this point would make us sound like the LSU fans who always criticize the OC for the QB and offense sucking while one constant remains.

I Guess I have thrown in the towel in some ways, I am no longer watching games for wins, but in stead looking for steady improvements from younger players who should be here a while...

And keeping an eye on recruiting.

SO far the recruits are saying the good stuff we want to hear.

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Gladius Veritas

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Yep, but what other choice do we have, 15 million buyout, a talk show unlike most others, he is here for at least 3 more seasons imho.

So, I hope succeeds marvelously. If not, we get to do all of this over again with another change in philosophies, etal...

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I'm gonna let this season play out. This time last year our defense didn't look very good either. The one thing that has me down right now is the injuries. That's what makes me think pulling out of this nose dive will be tough.

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What worries me the most is that at least last year our O-line still looked good/competent at this point in the season. This year they are soft and just overall bad. When the supposed best part of your team turns out to be awful, there's something fundamentally wrong with the team that won't fix itself during one season.

I think the defense will eventually play better as the D-line and LBs gets more experience, but I have zero hope that the offense will progress.



oh, and frick you too, count.

I'm still standing by my claim that this doesn't get righted until all Petrino players are cycled off the roster.

Those players are poisoned. You don't go through what those players did and not be damaged goods.

Some adjusted really well but they've got the taint on them. Anyone associated with that quitter loser team in 2012 needs to have been gone long ago. I'm talking secretaries, janitors, Kevin Trainor, admin, nutsack wash girls, lunch ladies, catering restaurants, that dude w/ the watermelons, Tusk, ushers, and popcorn vendors etc.

I'm so ready for the Allens to be gone. Been a much worse duo than the Dick clan