FAYETTEVILLE -- Bret Bielema provides more insight into his coaching methods and his locker room style than most major college coaches.
Bielema doesn't shy away from discussing some of the issues facing the Razorbacks as they prepare to take a one-game break from their tough SEC West schedule to host Alabama-Birmingham on Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Up Next
Alabama-Birmingham at Arkansas
WHEN 11 a.m., Saturday
WHERE Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville
TELEVISION SEC Network
Lately, those issues seem to be growing. There are the residual effects of heart-breaking losses to Texas A&M and Alabama, a running game that is suddenly struggling, and a recent rash of turnovers, costly penalties and errors on and off the field.
Bielema admitted after Saturday's 45-32 loss to Georgia he's worried that not being able to turn the team's hard work and improvements into victories has impacted the program.
"That can kind of compound on you," he said.
The mistakes would have to be addressed no matter the recent results, but because Arkansas could not close out fourth-quarter leads against the Aggies and Crimson Tide to stop their 16-game SEC slide, the frustration only deepens, Bielema said.
"You train and do all these things and go a long time without the rewards of [a victory] and it just continues to build and you just feel like literally everything goes against you," Bielema said Saturday in Little Rock. "It's easy to look around and begin to wonder, but if you just stay focused, just stay on task and stay on target, good things eventually will happen.
"I've got to get those guys to believe in the faith."
Bielema took some unusual steps at halftime against Georgia with the Razorbacks trailing 38-6. He brought together several players who had made mistakes in the first half, but instead of having his assistants address the errors as they normally do, Bielema challenged the players with "things that you shouldn't say on camera" while also showing support.
"I didn't want to have a Bobby Knight blowup and call them every name in the book," Bielema said. "I wanted to hear what's wrong, how can we fix it."
Bielema also talked to the entire coaching staff -- the offensive and defensive assistants typically hold separate meetings at halftime -- about ensuring a better second-half showing.
"I wanted them to hear this is what I expect, this is what I want done and this is what needs to happen," Bielema said.
The Razorbacks outscored Georgia 26-7 in the second half after a mistake-filled second quarter in which Georgia ran off 31 consecutive points and took command at War Memorial Stadium.
"It definitely impacted the team," senior receiver Demetrius Wilson said of Bielema's halftime actions. "You saw in the second half how we came out.
"The first half, we came out on that first drive and scored and then everything kind of fell apart on us. In the second half, we got back as a team and started playing Hog football like we know how to do."
Bielema said Monday he was concerned the Razorbacks were starting to lose the tough-guy and disciplined image they had been building in his second season, largely due to dominating Nicholls State, Texas Tech and Northern Illinois, then controlling Texas A&M for three quarters and Alabama for much of the game.
He spoke to the team Sunday about reinforcing their team identity following their first-half struggles against Georgia.
"I just talked to them about ... you build your reputation over a period of time," Bielema said. "They've built a reputation off of a lot of things they've done this year, and for about 10 minutes in the middle of the second quarter you tried to take away from everything you've built. ... Everything that we had built up was kind of imbalanced there in the middle of that second quarter."
Coaches ramped up the intensity in Tuesday's practice as a way to restamp their rugged style on the team.
"The great thing about our kids, they'll respond," offensive line coach Sam Pittman said. "There's a lot of fight in them."
Bielema said an inside run drill turned intense.
"Our coaches made some challenges to the players, offensively and defensively, to make sure they understood what's expected," Bielema said. "Not only on Tuesday, but for sure where we need to be Saturday."
Bielema was asked Saturday how he thought the Razorbacks, who are 3-4 overall, could win three of their last five games to make it to six victories and bowl eligibility.
"I think we're trying to get to four this week," he replied.
Sports on 10/23/2014