Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Arkansas Sports New Hog Coach Bielema speaks
Posted by Lindsey Millar on Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 4:06 PM
Athletic Director Jeff Long is introducing him now. Stream it live here.
Live updates to follow:
*Long mentions Bielema's teams' academic records before talking football.
*Is it just me or does Bielema sort of have a hint of Cajun in his Midwestern tough guy accent?
*Cried like crazy when he left the pig farm for the first time, he says.
*His favorite cousins are from Arkansas. They supplied him with Arkansas gear when he was younger. Let's see pictures!
*To recruits: "If anyone in this state can play championship level football in this state, we need them at the University of Arkansas."
*"We will recruit uncommon men here. I don't want people to be normal. I want them to be the standard set in college football."
*He tears up when talking about his wife. Brings her up to call the Hogs. Passable.
*"Just to clarify, that was my first public hog call. From the age eight to 14 I did it often, but it was only in front of pigs."
*He won't coach Wisconsin in Rose Bowl.
*On saying the Big 10 didn't want to be the SEC.: "A year ago I was the head coach of Wisconsin, the issues that arose surrounding that comment had nothing to do with the SEC. Where you're at is where you need to stand up for and protect."
*Got message from Razorbacks Saturday night. Met with team officials in New York City on Sunday.
More on the jump:
*On retaining assistants: Made a promise based on past experience to meet with all existing staff before hiring new people.
*Has shortlist of six candidates for offensive coordinator to replace Paul Petrino.
*Talked about the difficulty of retaining assistant coaches at Wisconsin because he couldn't raise their salaries. Said Arkansas's wherewithal in that department was one factor that attracted him to the job.
*"Spent minimal time in the state."
*"There are a lot of great offensive philosophies out there. Not going to beat ourselves before the snap. Said Wisconsin had been least penalized team in the Big 10 over the last three years.
*In life a lot of people don't cheer for the favorite. They cheer for the underdog. Right now we're going to embrace being the underdog. We're going to throw our arms around it and kiss it."
*On misperceptions of offensive at Wisconsin: Commonly got grouped into traditional Big 10 offenses. Mentions Ron Dayne running the ball 60 or 70 times a game. During his time, he said his team had great balance. Balance is a key.
*I believe in player development. Develop him physically, mentally and socially. Said he's always required his teams to do a certain number of community service hours.
Speaking of Jeff Long, Bret Bielema
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April 11, 2013Nobody is likely to accuse Bret Bielema of being a renaissance man, and maybe that sounds like derision, but it's far from it. Pearls can and does appreciate the modern bravado that he employs, though Jeff Long may ultimately have to yank the reins on his ebullient coach. /more/
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April 5, 2013Good story in Arkansas Business by Chris Bahn on the preparation and delivery of the speech by UA Athletic Director Jeff Long a year ago on the decision to fire successful coach Bobby Petrino after his motorcycle wreck and revelation of an affair with an athletic department subordinate. /more/
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Bielema hits the right notes
February 28, 2013Bret Bielema's goodwill tour through the state of Arkansas has been a customarily fleet and spectacularly engaging one, and even though Pearls doesn't want to harp on the distinctions between the new lead Hog and his predecessors, it's an impossible one to simply ignore. /more/
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