HOOVER, Ala. - Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema didn’t ease into his first SEC football media days.
Rather, Bielema barged into the Wynfrey Hotel’s big ballroom in a style befitting a former Iowa defensive lineman Wednesday, brandishing opinions and eager to cross swords with Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, another first-year SEC head coach.
And, he got worked up when asked about preseason expectations for his Razorbacks.
Arkansas, coming off a 4-8 season, is expected to be picked near the bottom of the SEC West when projections from conference media members are released today.
“The lower the better,” Bielema said. “I think our kids are carrying a tremendous chip on their shoulder.”
Razorabcks At a Glance
Arkansas glance
LAST SEASON 4-8, 2-6 (sixth) in SEC West
COACH Bret Bielema (first year at Arkansas; 68-24 in eighth year overall)
RETURNING STARTERS Offense 5, defense 8
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS DT Byran Jones, CB Tevin Mitchel, FB Kiero Small, DE Chris Smith, C Travis Swanson, RB Jonathan Williams
SEC TITLE SCENARIO The Razorbacks have depth issues at multiple positions, including the secondary, the offensive line, linebacker, quarterback and receiver. Quarterback Brandon Allen and the tailback corps are largely untested. Arkansas must improve ball security, establish a quality running attack and commit fewer penalties to have any shot at contending in the nation’s toughest division.
Bielema gripped the podium and leaned toward the microphone when he was told Malzahn said it was a joke to hear comments from coaches, including Bielema, who had concerns about potential injuries to players involved in defending the hurry-up offense.
“I’m not a comedian,” Bielema said. “Everything I say is things I truly believe in.”
Bielema’s voice began to rise when he discussed promising parents of recruits he would be looking out for the welfare of their sons.
“You cannot tell me that a player after Play 5 is the same player that he is after Play 15,” Bielema said. “If that exposes him to a risk of injury, that’s my fault. I can’t do anything about it because the rules do not allow me to substitute a player in whether I’m on offense or defense.
“The problem that people have is you look at it just from an offensive or defensive point of view. I’m looking at it from a head coach’s point of view, that the personal well-being and safety of my players is paramount.”
Bielema, who serves on the NCAA rules committee, said coaches on both sides of the hurry-up offense debate need to put away their agendas and look at the health and safety of players.
“I want to win games just as bad as Coach Malzahn,” Bielema said. “It doesn’t need to get personal. It just needs to be real. I think that very few people back up and preach what they say.”
Malzahn, who has been a proponent of hurry-up offense since his days as an ultra successful high school coach in Arkansas, took exception to previous comments from Bielema and other coaches.
“When I first heard that, to be honest with you, I thought it was a joke,” Malzahn said of the safety issue. “As far as health or safety issues, that’s like saying the defense shouldn’t blitz after a first down because they’re a little fatigued and there’s liable to be a big collision in the backfield.
“If you’re going to look at rules changes, officials, we need to look at the guys on defense that are faking injuries to slow down these pace teams.”
Bielema was asked to respond to Malzahn’s “faking injuries” remark.
“You know what, in addition to not being a comedian, I’m not an actor,” Bielema said. “I can’t tell … a kid how to fake an injury.”
Bielema’s Razorbacks and Malzahn’s Tigers face off on Nov. 2 in Fayetteville.
Three Arkansas seniors attending media days vouch for Bielema’s passion.
“He’s a very outspoken guy,” defensive end Chris Smith said. “He’s not going to beat around the bush. That’s one thing Hog fans really like, is what you see is what you get.”
Said fullback Kiero Small, “He’s a player’s coach, but at the same time he means business. When he speaks you listen. If you see something that’s a joke, he’ll laugh with you. It’s a great feeling to know he’s a coach who’s got your back and at the end of the day he wants what is best for you.”
Center Travis Swanson said Bielema is “just what you look for in a coach” and that the philosophy and work ethic he is bringing to the Razorbacks will work.
“Oh, he’s a very passionate person,” Swanson said. “Great coach, and he loves the game. He’s shown that to us.”
Low expectations for the 2013 Razorbacks were fine by him, Bielema said.
“In a few years, we’re going to have probably unrealistic higher expectations, because of what we’re going to accomplish,” Bielema said. “But the keys that I know win football games are in place.”
Even though Bielema said he was not a comedian, he got media members laughing when he asked why he said he had never been to media days like the SEC’s.
“Just this engaging crowd - besides a couple guys sleeping in the front row,” he said, joking about one guy elbowing the other in an effort to rouse him. “Still not up. Heavier sleeper.”
Sleeping on the Razorbacks will come with a risk this season, Bielema said, issuing a warning of sorts.
“I tell you what, we have some players that you haven’t heard of that are coming at you,” he said. “I do know this: We have a team that’s very hungry, a group of coaches that are very gifted. … But I do excel in situations where people think very, very little of us. For those of you that want to, vote us lower. I mean that with all my heart. Then just sit back and watch.”
Sports, Pages 17 on 07/18/2013