FAYETTEVILLE -- Hindsight isn't always 20-20.
Sometimes what seems like plain sight in hindsight would have been an oversight, Bret Bielema believes.
Or worse.
For Bielema, Arkansas junior receiver Dominique Reed could be considered an oversight in hindsight..
Reed played little and caught no passes in the Razorbacks' second and third games when Arkansas was defeated by Toledo and Texas Tech.
For the last six games, starting with the 24-20 victory at Tennessee in Arkansas' second SEC game, Reed has played a lot and Arkansas has won a lot. The fastest Razorback has helped Arkansas win five of the six and tallied a touchdown in the one they didn't, the 27-14 loss at Alabama.
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Starting with his 33-yard touchdown catch off Brandon Allen's pass at Tennessee, Reed has seven touchdowns the last six games. One per five games and twice at Ole Miss.
In last Saturday's 31-14 success at LSU, Reed took a short Allen pass and raced 52 yards for the game's first touchdown. And he debuted returning kickoffs, breaking a 40-yarder among three returns for 79 yards.
What Reed could have done, in hindsight, while the Hogs tumbled to Toledo and Texas Tech?
Bielema's rearview mirror doesn't reflect regret.
A high school alum of Camden Fairview, Reed played at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, before he academically qualified to play for the UA.
During the summer, while the rest of the Razorbacks were in Fayetteville enrolled in UA classes and working out together, Reed was still at Coffeyville completing academics.
Even the Razorbacks incoming freshmen were ahead of him in the playbook.
So despite Reed's speed, Bielema took it slow.
"One of the biggest mistakes I have watched with head coaches is when people put too much on people early in their careers and it sets them back," Bielema said. "Now some guys can do it, but there are some kids you have to be very careful how much you put on their platter."
Reed started with basic routes and no kick returning.
"We wanted to spoon feed Dominique first just with wide receiver," Bielema said. "What he showed me was he could handle it very, very well. The last two or three weeks he has been back there in practice on kickoffs. Finally we decided let's roll with it and see what happens."
It all has happened so spectacularly that Bielema calls Reed's play "the one thing that has changed" the offense from last year.
But maybe nothing changes, Bielema implied, if Reed was exposed before he was ready.
"I think if we had done that at the beginning of the year it might not have been as good," Bielema said. "On the flip side that might have even set him back which I don't think we have done."
Arkansas' last six opponents vouch for Bielema. They have seen Dominique Reed running too far in front to be set back.
Sports on 11/18/2015