Bielema was a long term fix, not a short term fix spread offense coach

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Good question. The answer is simple: the 2013 Hogs would be much, much better. Malzahn would find Brandon Mitchell (who will start for NC State this weekend) a serviceable quarterback for his system. Alex Collins wouldn’t be a Razorback, but Jonathan Williams would combine forces with Nate Holmes and likely a junior college transfer to anchor a strong running game.
Arkansas receivers would still struggle, but the system would be kinder of the offensive line. The Razorback offense wouldn’t be explosive but it would be much more productive. Defensively, Malzahn would be partial to a 4-2-5 defense, which would allow the Hogs to put as few linebackers on the field as possible (which is good news for the 2013 team). It would be more flexible given the current personnel, and would probably be more productive overall. After a 3-0 start that included blowout wins over Samford and Southern Miss, the Hogs would have knocked off Rutgers in Piscataway.
The team may not have won any of the last four, but would have been more competitive. The Hogs would finish 6-6 at worst, and more likely 7-5.
Of course, this isn’t 2012. The Hogs don’t need a coach for just one year. With Alabama dominating the state and Auburn reeling, the Tigers didn’t have time to wait. They needed what we’ll call a “quick fix.” As far as quick fixes go, they hit a home run with Gus Malzahn. He brought in a junior college transfer at quarterback and running back, installed a quick fix defense, and the Tigers are 6-1. Good for them.
Ole Miss needed a quick fix as well. Dan Mullen had Mississippi State in firm control of their state, and the Bulldogs were putting up snarky billboards in Jackson, which is a no-no as far as Ole Miss is concerned. Wanting to rid themselves of the taste of Houston Nutt and take back their state, along with avoiding falling into the SEC West cellar, Ole Miss made its move, bringing in a quick fix in Hugh Freeze. Freeze instantly made the Rebels competitive, and shifted the momentum away from State. Mission accomplished.
Arkansas, on the other hand, didn’t need a quick fix. The Hogs weren’t moving conferences and had no natural rivals encroaching on bragging rights or recruiting territory. They could take their time, and install a system that works in the long run. And that’s just what Bielema is: a long-term coach. That’s not to suggest that Malzahn and Freeze are short-term coaches, but there is one simple, undeniable truth about what they do: spread offenses are quick fixes. Their long-term prospects at the same program are iffy.

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The point isn’t to rag on these coaches, each of whom are fantastic coaches with strong resumes. These are also examples of schools who have much more talent than Arkansas based on recruiting. The point is to note that a spread offense is indeed a quick fix, but the long-term sustained success prospects are shakier. If the Razorbacks’ priority was winning in 2013, then Bret Bielema was a poor choice. Comparing Bielema’s first-year success to the first-year success of coaches like Gus Malzahn and Hugh Freeze is foolish. Try again in year four. History has shown that more pro-style, old-fashioned systems take much longer to install, but also have more long-term success.
Consider a final spread coach. Texas A&M needed a quick fix. Texas was reeling and the Aggies needed to make a move to assert themselves. They were moving to the SEC and needed a good first impression to maintain recruiting and support in the state. A number of consecutive top 10 recruiting classes under Mike Sherman were going to waste with a 7-6 team in 2011. So they hired Kevin Sumlin, a Bob Stoops disciple. It’s very obvious they were going for the quick fix, and boy did they get it. They got Johnny Manziel and Mike Evans out of nowhere. They took the conference by storm.
But the good news ends there. The Aggies lost at home to Auburn over the weekend to drop their SEC home record to 3-4 since joining the conference. They’ve already lost two games this season, with LSU and Missouri still on the schedule. Worse yet, Manziel and Evans are likely gone to the NFL at year’s end. Does anyone honestly think that Sumlin will ever have another player of Manziel’s caliber? Has he peaked already, just like his mentor Stoops did? If so, it’s not good news for the Aggies, who despite their success have yet to sniff an SEC West title.
Bret Bielema’s Razorbacks haven’t begun to scratch the surface of their potential. How many fans will still be here when it happens?

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