What's the huge difference between us and Wisc?

[jgphillips3]

Only 3 full classes on campus is too few to reload on oline.   That was going to take a little time. 

The problem is that the best players Bielema has had were either Petrino recruits or guys he got his first year like Collins, Kirkland, Skipper, Henry, et al.  So it doesn't seem the guys he's recruited with an opportunity to fully evaluate are panning out very well unless they are absolute blue chip studs like Whaley and Agim.  Now, maybe that's going to turn around as those guys become seniors but something is wrong.  Either he's recruited the wrong players or they aren't properly developing the kids.  It doesn't take four and five years to develop a player.  2 or 3 should be sufficient which is what makes our collapse this year inexplicable.  I think we all expected a step back from 2015 but not to be so thoroughly humiliated so many times.  It's all just weird.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

We are good in the areas of Bielema's perceived weaknesses - passing the ball, great receiving corps.
And pretty darn bad in the areas of what most think are Bielema's strengths - Oline, being able to run when we have to and defense.
It's all pretty confusing, actually.

Our WR Corp isn't great.  None are game changers.  All are pretty much possession guys.  Good possession guys, but possession guys nonetheless.   None really get behind the defense.

We can't run, because the OL talent is average with marginal depth, and teams still line up to stop the run against us.  other than his first class, OL recruiting has been disappointing.

[Atlhogfan1]

The problem is that the best players Bielema has had were either Petrino recruits or guys he got his first year like Collins, Kirkland, Skipper, Henry, et al.  So it doesn't seem the guys he's recruited with an opportunity to fully evaluate are panning out very well unless they are absolute blue chip studs like Whaley and Agim.  Now, maybe that's going to turn around as those guys become seniors but something is wrong.  Either he's recruited the wrong players or they aren't properly developing the kids.  It doesn't take four and five years to develop a player.  2 or 3 should be sufficient which is what makes our collapse this year inexplicable.  I think we all expected a step back from 2015 but not to be so thoroughly humiliated so many times.  It's all just weird.

It does to build depth and quality in oline. Not getting into rest of positions.  Numbers were too low in early oline classes.  Has set back the build. 

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Only 3 full classes on campus is too few to reload on oline.   That was going to take a little time. 

I'm not buying the 3 full classes with the OL.  The '13 class definitely counts...it was probably his best OL class.  He's had 4 classes.  Unfortunately, his '15 and '16 OL classes have left much to be desired so far.

[Atlhogfan1]

I'm not buying the 3 full classes with the OL.  The '13 class definitely counts...it was probably his best OL class.  He's had 4 classes.  Unfortunately, his '15 and '16 OL classes have left much to be desired so far.

Full classes = 3.

15 and 16 So Fr and RS

Could have been better but still not a lot of time. OP asked about diff w Wisconsin.  Alvarez started building the line over a decade before Bielema got the HC job there. 

Not sure what you aren't buying.  Too low of numbers plus little time got us where we were.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Full classes = 3.

15 and 16 So Fr and RS

Could have been better but still not a lot of time. OP asked about diff w Wisconsin.  Alvarez started building the line over a decade before Bielema got the HC job there. 

Not sure what you aren't buying.  Too low of numbers plus little time got us where we were.

I'm saying he's had 4 full classes recruiting the OL...'13-'16.  And he's helped create his own numbers problem.  He sighed only 6 OL in the last two classes, and I believe 3 of those were JUCO.  I agree it takes time to build the OL, but he hasn't helped himself much. 

[Atlhogfan1]

I'm saying he's had 4 full classes recruiting the OL...'13-'16.  And he's helped create his own numbers problem.  He sighed only 6 OL in the last two classes, and I believe 3 of those were JUCO.  I agree it takes time to build the OL, but he hasn't helped himself much.

He hasn't much.  Could have been better. 

[grayhawg]

We have their Blimp?

[Bubba's Bruisers]

He hasn't much.  Could have been better. 

Which is what I find so ironic.  The OL recruiting, after his first class, has been lacking big time.  In both talent and numbers.  And the current class will apparently only sigh 3 more and none were pursued by top programs.  I'm not optimistic. 

Now the QB, RB, TE, and DL recruiting has been good, but the OL and back 7 not so much.

[kp72204]

Well, i think he was more focused on being a coach before he got married. Now he's having a TV show and a baby. I have nothing but the upmost of respect for his personal life, just a thought.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Well, i think he was more focused on being a coach before he got married. Now he's having a TV show and a baby. I have nothing but the upmost of respect for his personal life, just a thought.

The circumstances between the programs are just very different.  He took over Wisky when it was already built and established.  Most of his tenure there was when the a Big10 sucked...MI was a mess and PSU was mediocre.  He now comes to Fayetteville to build a program in the toughest division in college.  A division with vastly different styles to face each week. Simply not the same situation.

[Stewhog 11]

Whisky has a better record since BB left and that's with an extra coaching change.  That should tell you all you need.

Wisconsin's win percentage is actually down from when he was there. Just saying.

[AirWarren]

You've never been to Madison.

Madison is an hour and 15 from Milwaukee. And another 2 hours from Chicago. They can get good football players there and there are plenty of minorities in those cities. Minneapolis is also not far from Madison.

[lakecityhog]

Guys, it's not just recruiting. It is also about roster management. He has commented on this himself, one year we focus on O'Line and the next year we seem to forget O'Line and focus on WR. Then the next year it is LB and O'Line and slide on something else.

Also, playing Skipper and Kirkland in 2013 was simply foolish and wasteful. We could have won 3 games with the guys that we had on hand. IF he had redshirted those 2 guys just look what our O'Line could have been this year!

Look at how many guys that lost a redshirt season to 5 carries for the year or maybe 1 reception. It happened again this year. There was absolutely NO REASON ON EARTH for Gunter to play this year with the number of RS freshmen (TE) ahead of him. Same for Hammonds, burned his shirt for maybe 10 carries all year??? Roster management

[thefisher]

Madison is an hour and 15 from Milwaukee. And another 2 hours from Chicago. They can get good football players there and there are plenty of minorities in those cities. Minneapolis is also not far from Madison.

Lived in Minneapolis several years.  The Minneapolis./St Paul metro only produces about 3-4 total Division 1 level guys a year. They predominately go to U of Minnesota as it is in the metro they live in. Like Fayetteville guys playing for the UA.

[reddogjcss]

Barry Alvarez was telling Coach B what to do and he was following orders. His results where from following Barry's orders. He left cause he thought he could do it with out Barry telling him every move to make and we are paying the price. It wasn't his results at Wis it was Barry's results.
No doubt in my mind Barry was telling Coach B what to do, when to do it and how to do it each and every day.

[longpig]

How does that relate to my earlier post?

We had two true freshman starting in 13, a true freshman starting a lot of 14,  a juco starting immediately.............  apparently zero years is long enough to reload and you say it takes 3.  What needs reloading is the O line coach.

[Squealers]

He's having a tough time adjusting and counter adjusting here.  Wasn't much of a dynamic with that in the Big 10. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BINGO ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[hoglady]

Our WR Corp isn't great.  None are game changers.  All are pretty much possession guys.  Good possession guys, but possession guys nonetheless.   None really get behind the defense.

We can't run, because the OL talent is average with marginal depth, and teams still line up to stop the run against us.  other than his first class, OL recruiting has been disappointing.

WR is still one of our strongest positions on the team.
D Reed can get behind the defense.
He's been wasted this year - not saying that's all on the coach's, obviously some issues between him and the coaches.
He had better production last year - this year he's not been a factor.

I realize the OL problems - I don't understand why. That should have been one of Bielema's strongest areas as a coach.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

WR is still one of our strongest positions on the team.
D Reed can get behind the defense.
He's been wasted this year - not saying that's all on the coach's, obviously some issues between him and the coaches.
He had better production last year - this year he's not been a factor.

I realize the OL problems - I don't understand why. That should have been one of Bielema's strongest areas as a coach.

D. Reed can, but doesn't.  Potential is irrelevant if never realized.

[rude1]

The difference is simple, the builder and the architect of that program still has an office right there, and he isn't going to allow anyone to come in there and screw it up under his watch. This is why they have not missed a beat without Bret.

[bkjbearcat]

Yep.  Beliema said so. Said in the B10 you only had to worry about a couple games a year and the rest were cupcakes. Also, remember him crying about Urban Meyer recruiting his committed recruits?  Yea, he's in over his head here at Arkansas.

That rings hollow when he loses in epic fashion twice to Missouri since being here.

[Squealers]

I figure CBB woefully underestimated the SEC, as well the players needed to effectively and consistently compete against the SEC, and as such fell behind with his strategy.  I am confident he now realizes his error, and is scrambling to get aligned with what is needed to build a competitive SEC team.   Time will tell if he has the runway to recover and accomplish this task.

[Piggfoot]

This is a start. Plus Madison is nowhere near Harrison.
http://www.bestcollegereviews.org/50-best-college-towns-america/

[Derjen]

More black folks near Madison.

Minorities are looked down upon in northwest Arkansas.

Haha. It's always best to know what you're talking about before you talk.

Madison, Wisconsin is Lilly white and racist too.

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/17997039/wisconsin-badgers-players-cite-racial-bias-demand-change

[Inhogswetrust]

the Wisky team ran everything the same way when he took over so no culture change was needed . he took over a pass first offense from BP . with players suited for that offense . He has had to change the whole philosophy and find players to fit his style . Also team speed in the SEC and south for that matter is far greater . See both Bama and Clemson games . Bama destroyed washington with speed on defense and Clemson is doing the same to OSU .

Please let us know when you think he's had time to find players to fit his style................No wait never mind he has had!

[Nashville Fan]

True, but I bet they'd roll us if we played.

why? no team rolled us except AU. We should have been rolled by a lot more and weren't. LSU beat WI like a yard dog. Much easier to look good when playing 1 or two good teams because there a fewer teams that can figure out how to beat you. That is what makes AL more impressive. They played 10 ranked teams and no one but AR found a way to score and no one else could repeat that with good linebackers.

[MountieDawg]

He had some dang good years there. Much better than here. I don't get it...

Same deal for Coach Mike Anderson...

[Atlhogfan1]

We had two true freshman starting in 13, a true freshman starting a lot of 14,  a juco starting immediately.............  apparently zero years is long enough to reload and you say it takes 3.  What needs reloading is the O line coach.

That may be one of the dumbest replies in a long time.  You just made an argument against yourself. 

[Bubba's Bruisers]

why? no team rolled us except AU. We should have been rolled by a lot more and weren't. LSU beat WI like a yard dog. Much easier to look good when playing 1 or two good teams because there a fewer teams that can figure out how to beat you. That is what makes AL more impressive. They played 10 ranked teams and no one but AR found a way to score and no one else could repeat that with good linebackers.

By rolled, I mean they handles us with no problems. 

Except for MO, we won every game we should have, and lost every game we should have.  Bama handled us, LSU handled us, A$M handles us...

And LSU got beat by WI.