State of the Hogs: In fatherhood, assistants see new side of Bielema

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema, right, talks with offensive coordinator Dan Enos during a practice Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, in Fayetteville.

— How is new father Bret Bielema different? Assistant coaches see a special gleam, sparkle or just a new, more dainty walk.

The Arkansas head coach was beaming from ear to ear when he waltzed into the media room Wednesday to introduce to the world his daughter, Briella, one day after her 1-month birthday. I thought it a perfect time to ask most of his assistant coaches about what they've seen change with Bielema since his daughter's birth.

“I saw the pride, the joy he feels for that daughter,” said Kurt Anderson, offensive line coach. “He's got a gleam in his eye. You see it.

“He's tried to be a father to 120, to all of his staffers, his coaches and administrators. That's just who he is. He tries to carry the weight of the program on his shoulder for all of us. I know that's pressure, but you know he's feeling a different pressure now. That daughter does that to you. There's nothing like it and I see that in him.”

Dan Enos and Paul Rhoads are veteran coaches with children. They've both been head coaches. Both flashed big grins when Bielema and his daughter were brought up.

“First, what I can tell you is that I changed the way I coach when I became a dad,” said Enos, the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

“I'll also say that Coach B is always aware of his players and his coaches. He always cares deeply. It's not like some coaches, all they care about is whether you can help them win a football game. He's not like that.

“I know becoming a dad changes your perspective. I think it makes you stronger as a coach. There are things you are aware of that only a parent gets. I do think what I've seen in both Bret and Jen as parents has been awesome.”

Defensive coordinator Rhoads said it was great to see Bielema with his daughter Wednesday.

“That's the first time we'd seen Briella,” Rhoads said. “I thought it was fun to see him with her.

“I can tell you something else: it's fun to see him head out of here just a few minutes early so he can see Jen and Briella.

“Bret loves to work. He loves to keep everything organized within the program. He's always studying the details of every period of practice, everything from meals to the details of travel. He's one of those coaches who leaves no stone unturned.

“He's still doing that, but there may be a night where he gets out of the office a few minutes early. I hope he is able to keep that up as we move through the season. It's important to do that.”

Vernon Hargreaves, the linebackers coach, laughed heartily when asked about Bielema and his daughter.

“He's lit up, that's what I see,” Hargreaves said. “When he came down the hallway with her yesterday, what I saw was this great big man who can act all tough, but his walk was a little more dainty with her in his arms. He can act pretty tough, but that melts you, that daughter. I loved it.

“I can tell you that some think they know how to be a dad, but there are no dad classes. It's different than anything you think it's going to be. You are changed instantly and he's changed. I see it.

“Until you do it, you don't understand. He knows he's different and we all know he's different. You feel different about how you are going to spend your time, what you are going to do and how you carry yourself.

“Charles Barkley says he's not a role model. I don't think anyone says that when they become a dad. You are a role model for that child and you know it.”

Wide receiver coach Michael Smith has three daughters. He calls becoming a father “a blessed opportunity. That's what my grandmother called it.”

Smith was on the phone with his mother when Bielema popped into his office with Briella on Wednesday.

“We were on FaceTime,” Smith said. “So she got to see Briella. I saw the joy in Bret's face when my mom got to see her. You feel it and see it.

“Bret has that sparkle in his eyes now. You only get that when you are a dad. It's pretty cool.

“It's always been great to work with Bret because he wants our kids around. I remember asking if I could take my kids to school for the first day of class. He said, 'Hell, yeah!' He preaches about family. It's tight around here. We work, but he understands family and it's pretty cool to see his family grow.”

Tight ends coach Barry Lunney said it's not really a major change for the head coach to play the role of father.

“I know him pretty well and know his heart,” Lunney said. “So I knew he'd take to (being a father) immediately. It would be natural.

“His approach is that he's a parent to all of us, players and coaches. The part that he had to learn was the diapers and the bottles. But he's gotten it pretty quickly.

“It's been fun to see both Bret and Jen in this role, but I don't think it was that big of a change for him. He's been a dad to all of us.

“What I do think we've seen is what we've all been through. You get to work and he's said, 'Oh, last night was different; diapers at 4 a.m.' Or, another thing we've heard, got to stop on the way home for some milk or more diapers. We've all gotten that call before and we kind of laugh.”

Anderson said he's had some advice about all of that.

“He's got one,” Anderson said. “I've got five and a set of twins. I've told him about what it's like with twins. We laugh about that.

“I do know I wasn't worried about him being a dad. I see how he is with kids. He loves my five kids and he's always going to interact with them. It's just his way. He's always been that guy with kids. I do know that there are times you are already tired when you get to work because of a late-night with a sick kid. He understands that. The baby is up.

Anderson said Bielema has always worn his emotions on his sleeve, so it wasn't a surprise to see how he has reacted to having a child.

“He's always had that father, mentor in him," Anderson said. "He had it as an assistant coach. I had always heard that about him.

“It's that part of coaching that was the attraction in getting back to college from the NFL. I wanted that back. You have a chance to be a father to them, help them mature as young man, train them to be a husband and then a father.

“It's still pretty cool when you see it happen. You know he's exactly like the rest of us. When that little girl is asleep, you go in the room and lean into their face. You want to feel that breath on your face to know they are still OK, still breathing. I did that. I know he's doing that.”