Long: Fans get glimpse of Bret ball

Rex Nelson, left, and David Bazzel, right, applause Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long as he steps up to speak at the Little Rock Touchdown Club Monday.

Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long believes the Razorbacks' 49-28 victory at Texas Tech Saturday was in the making since their season-opening loss at Auburn Aug. 30.

"The Auburn game was already benefiting us because they had already been on the road with a big game, so this young team had been through something like that," Long said Monday at the Little Rock Touchdown Club's weekly meeting at the Embassy Suites in Little Rock. "While it's sometimes difficult to play a tough opening game, I think it paid off in the Texas Tech game."

The Razorbacks lost 45-21 to the defending SEC champions in Auburn, Ala., but have rebounded to win their past two games, routing Nicholls State from the Southland Conference 73-7 and winning at Texas Tech from the Big 12.

Arkansas' victory at Texas Tech was Coach Bret Bielema's first road victory with the Razorbacks and broke their eight-game road losing streak.

"We got out of there with a convincing win," Long said. "It was one that our program needed and one that Coach Bielema was working very hard to achieve."

Arkansas running backs Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams combined to rush for 357 yards and six touchdowns. Collins had 212 yards on 27 carries and 2 touchdowns, and Williams rushed 22 times for 145 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Razorbacks finished with 438 rushing yards, averaging 6.4 yards per carry.

"You're now seeing Razorback football under Bret Bielema," Long said. "You're seeing the first test of how he likes to play the game and how he likes to win the game. The dominance on the offensive and defensive line were apparent. The ball control was incredible. I think we're on the way to seeing something very special about Coach Bielema and his team."

Last season, Arkansas started 3-0 before losing its final nine games. Beating Nicholls State ended the Razorbacks' losing streak at 10 games, the longest in program history.

"The Nicholls game went a long way to helping us beating Texas Tech," Long said. "I know it was a lopsided victory, but I think the confidence that came from that really helped them in the Texas Tech game."

Arkansas hosts Northern Illinois at Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday. Northern Illinois, from the Mid-American Conference, played in the Orange Bowl in January 2013, just three months after the Huskies and Razorbacks agreed to play each other in 2014.

Quarterback Jordan Lynch has exhausted his eligibility at Northern Illinois, but the Huskies (3-0) have beaten Northwestern (23-15) and UNLV (48-34) this season, with both games coming away from DeKalb, Ill.

"We scheduled them because they're a quality team," Long said. "We know they're at the top of the mid-majors, as we call them, or the other five conferences.

"When we scheduled them, we wanted a challenge from one of those five leagues. Northern Illinois gives us the best challenge."

Long reassured fans Monday his job at Arkansas remains his top priority even though he is chairman of the new College Football Playoff selection committee.

"I'm proud to represent all of you," Long said. "I'm proud to be the AD from the University of Arkansas, to be the first chairman of the college football selection committee. It says something about all of you. It says something about our university. It says something great about our state.

"I'm proud to represent all of you and I'm working very, very hard to represent you in a positive way."

Sports on 09/16/2014