FAYETTEVILLE — It’s clear from Wednesday’s SEC Teleconference that Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has a lot of respect for TCU head coach Gary Patterson.
The two will match wits on the field this Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas, when the unranked Razorbacks (1-0) visit No. 15 TCU (1-0) in a 6 p.m. game that will be televised by ESPN.
It will be the second time the two coaches will face each other. They were also on opposing sidelines when TCU beat Wisconsin 21-19 in the 2011 Rose Bowl.
“Now we get on the road, we go to TCU, go to Fort Worth,” Bielema said after discussing his team’s season-opening 21-20 win over Louisiana Tech.
“And just as a coach, I have been a big fan of Gary Patterson before I came into this league and before I came to Arkansas.
“He is just a tremendous coach and a real good guy in the business that has built that place up into something special from the team he puts on the field to the environment we are going to walk into with the fans.
“Just an exceptional football coach and program. I am very excited for the crossover game with the Big 12. They have a lot of very talented players on both sides of the football. Should be a great matchup and one we excited about.”
It’s also a matchup of two former Southwest Conference teams. The Razorbacks own a 43-23 edge all-time, but the teams haven't played since 1991.
TCU – which has won 14 straight home games - is the fourth former SWC team that Bielema has played in his four years as Arkansas' coach. The Razorbacks are 2-1 in those games, with wins over Texas and Texas Tech in 2014, and a loss to Texas Tech last season.
“We get all articles written on TCU and what not and I think Gary referenced it the other day, being an old school guy and to have this came come forward for the fans is really good,” Bielema said. “I feel the exact same.
“I know their fan base. My first real exposure to that (the former SWC teams) was obviously when we played Texas Tech, but to get a chance to play Texas in the bowl game a couple of years ago in Houston and have it turn out the way it did, I thought was a real eye-opener for me as far as the culture and history here at Arkansas.
“I know that a lot of people are excited about this and obviously TCU and the resurgence they’ve have under Gary is second to none. To throw that in with the tradition of the past is pretty cool.”
TCU, which downed FCS foe South Dakota State 59-41 in its opener, presents challenges defensively, Bielema said. He is aware that the Horned Frogs have recorded at least one sack in over 40 consecutive games.
“TCU itself is a very challenging football team. Since I have been watching them and played them a couple of years ago in the Rose Bowl, they have got great pressure guys, a system that brings both base defense as well as pressure from really all different angles – strong, weak, boundary, field, safety, linebackers, it doesn’t matter.
“They have got a tremendous system and you can see why that streak exists. We have got to have the answers. One of our team goals is to stop the streak. I can tell you that. We are aware of it and we will be prepared for it.”
Bielema noted that he felt much better going into this match 1-0 instead of 0-1 after his team rallied to beat the Bulldogs with a fourth-quarter touchdown and then an ensuing defensive stop.
He did so inside of a question that was asked about how long it usually takes for a team to find its offensive identity.
“That is probably a great program question more so than year-to-year because of the way we play offensively as we have an identity that is kind of unique to us,” Bielema said. “It is not all that common.
“We know our identity up front and if you don’t believe in it or don’t buy into it than you won’t be here long. So we make that pretty clear from the get-g
“As the season goes on, when the bullets start flying, that is why I said to be in a close game out of the gate was probably a good thing. You really find out a lot about your guys when they are in crunch time. We had to have a fourth-quarter drive to win the game and fourth-quarter stop to win the game and some things happen in the kicking game.
“…I think we know a lot now, a lot more than people that probably know that were in blowouts or one-sided losses. But each year it is probably a little bit different.”
Bielema also updated the injury status of tight end Austin Cantrell and cornerback DJ Dean.
“First on the offensive side, Cantrell has been with us since Tuesday full forward so no problems there,” Bielema said. “Jared Cornelius was limited probably a little bit yesterday so we expect him full go Thursday, Friday, Saturday. I think it is safe to say that no one is going to stop him from getting out there. He is pretty excited.
“On the defensive side of the ball, DJ Dean practice the entire practice yesterday and relatively has no soreness out there today. He went through pre-game warm-ups Saturday so he was probably right on the verge then.
“We tried to protect him because I knew this game was going to be a big one for him since he is from East Texas and was recruited by TCU. I now he is excited that he will be back out there as well. Couple of other guys were just nicked and necked during the course of the game and they shouldn’t have any issues as well.
“The only guy again is Kevin Richardson and his surgery went well. Otherwise we should be more full-force than we were at this point a week ago.”
Bielema expects Arkansas to have more diversity on offense this weekend under offensive coordinator Dan Enos.
“First, I think wrinkles are all personnel driven and last week we didn’t get Dominique Reed to the very, very end and didn’t get Keon Hatcher until the last week in practice,” Bielema said.
“Because of the situation around Kody Walker, we didn’t have him until the end so there were a couple of guys offensively that I think would really have limited our package going in. Not so much from a call standpoint, but personnel driven.
“I think every game you have some nuances, some things that can happen, different schemes present different opportunities as well as limitations. I think that always comes into effect.
“But I tell you one thing that I have learned from being around Dan Enos now going into year two is that his creativity, ways to create and develop new situations and plays and new looks is unprecedented.”