When we hired Bielema

[LZH]

I'd like to hear your theory as to how he pulled off faking everyone out while coming up th coaching ladder.

I don't know. You don't get to this level of the profession if you're an idiot (ok, except that idiot). He had to have done something right or Alvarez wouldn't have hired him.

Guys who aren't X&O gurus become head coaches all the time....good ones. But you have to know your darn to be a DC in the Big12 or Big10.

Just watching our defense put up little-to-no fight much of the season, and getting progressively worse, tells me that there are no answers from the assistants or head cat. It's not that we're bad....it's that we're really bad. And it didn't just happen this month, it's no secret.

The best guess I can come up with is BB worked for some great HC's, and they really liked him and tried to help him. Maybe his lack of detail was compensated for, and the direction of the defense overall was dictated by the HC (which I think BB is practicing what he learned).

One thing is certain, if he had any answers he would have tried something different weeks ago. And this BS about not being able to change some things during the season - schematic changes can happen during halftime.

[IronHog]

BB has done a lot of stuff right......he needs to change certain areas though

[hogsanity]

When we hired Bielema, I quickly jumped on board because we had hired someone who we thought would put a real emphasis on DEFENSE.

To me, I was excited because I felt like we would finally realize how important D is and would surely get better and better under him.

We may well have the worst DEFENSE I can remember.

This is not what we signed up for.

If you can't convince sec calibre defenders to come here, you can emphasize it all you want and it still wont be very good,

[Nosboar Accubond]

Arkansas has never been a stepping stone.  Name one head coach that has used Arkansas has a stepping stone for a better job.

Houston Dale Nutt

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Houston Dale Nutt

No.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

If you can't convince sec calibre defenders to come here, you can emphasize it all you want and it still wont be very good,

True, but this year's defense goes well beyond lack of talent.

[Hoggish1]

When we hired Bielema, I quickly jumped on board because we had hired someone who we thought would put a real emphasis on DEFENSE.

To me, I was excited because I felt like we would finally realize how important D is and would surely get better and better under him.

We may well have the worst DEFENSE I can remember.

This is not what we signed up for.

You need to relax and be patient.

[Hoggish1]

So where do we go from here?

Up, way up.

[LZH]

You need to relax and be patient.

When would you say it's OK to be impatient?

[luke hawg]

Arkansas was very physical in 2014-15


BB has run out of BPs hardened players

Stop talking out of your ***

[HoopS]

You need to relax and be patient.

I am perfectly relaxed.

[porkrindjimmy]

Stop talking out of your ***

Where is he wrong Lee Corso? If you would pull your tongue out of Bret's backside and actually pay attention, you would see that the man is telling the truth. In 4 years, the best defensive players Bret has had was recruited by Lucifer himself, Bobby Petrino..that is all fact.

Which one of you is the cheer captain for the University of Bret? It is going to be quite fun wearing you and your squad out for the next year or two.

PRJ

[tzthib]

All programs were a stepping stone at some point before one special coach turned them into a consistent winner.

But if we're not even going to try to be great, lower ticket prices to $15, fire BB, get a coach for $300K, and say the hell with it. Sink the leftover cash into upgrading other sports and their facilities.

Yes! Someone gets it!

If we're convinced we'll never compete, why not just hire some high school coach and focus these (substantial) resources on track or something?

Just because something is hard doesn't mean it's impossible. We can have a top-level program here.

[AirWarren]

Yes! Someone gets it!

If we're convinced we'll never compete, why not just hire some high school coach and focus these (substantial) resources on track or something?

Just because something is hard doesn't mean it's impossible. We can have a top-level program here.

Then how come we have never been one?

[cosmodrum]

Then how come we have never been one?

We were one, but it's been a few decades.

[HoggusMaximus]

When we hired Bielema, I quickly jumped on board because we had hired someone who we thought would put a real emphasis on DEFENSE.

To me, I was excited because I felt like we would finally realize how important D is and would surely get better and better under him.

We may well have the worst DEFENSE I can remember.

This is not what we signed up for.

I really don't understand what you people want. Since 1998 Arkansas has only had 3 10 Win seasons.  Arkansas has had 6 SEC records since 1998 that were Over .500. The whole point of all of these arguments about wanting more are moot. Its time to face facts and stop crying. We will probably never be a perennial powerhouse EVER, that being said Bret Bielema has had 1 losing season.

[HoggusMaximus]

How about not give up 21pt leads to the worst team in the SEC for starters.

Stop being a [CENSORED] canoe.  Nobody is saying anything about being a perennial powerhouse.

You can't win every game. It's that simple. Im sure Mizzou would love to trade records with us.

[HoggusMaximus]

First - Only one team out of about 118 ish is going to do that so that's a 0.84745762711864% chance of winning every game.

Second - That's good to know because some of the people here are complaining about having 3 winning seasons in a row.

Third - See point above.

[HoggusMaximus]

No one is complaining about 3 winning seasons in a row.  Clearly your bar is set low enough where that seems like some big accomplishment.

Whatever.  Complain away about people complaining. 

I'm a realist. you just think the grass is greener on the other side but the other side is the same damn color as this side.

[HoggusMaximus]

You sold me. 

We've had 3 winning seasons in a row now.  I never looked at it that way before!

Where's the picture of that Enzyte guy.

glad I could help.

[Pig In The City]

Slow, no doubt.

And I'll go ahead and say this.  I think Beliema is a soft coach.  I think he runs a soft camp and soft practices.  And I think it shows up in games. 

Just about every other SEC team is much more physical than we are.  The most physical players we have are wide receivers and running backs. 

I've seen all I need to see. Burn the mother down!

[HogBreath]

We may well have the worst DEFENSE I can remember.

You mean you watched this season and still are not sure?  It is waaaay the worst.

[Steef]

The key piece of information I need is whether this is Bret's defense or Smith's defense. If this was Bret's defense, it won't matter much who replaces Smith.

Buck stops with Bret.

I love the guy, but he owns this. It didn't happen overnight.

[12247]

Bret Bielema, in my opinion knows enough football to be a decent coach.  He likely was blindsided by the SEC.  But his team is a failure because he is not down in the trenches and busting his ass to be the best.  You stand aside, aloof and failing to make decisions, you appear lazy, you fail.

[Kevin]

I don't care whose defense it is, they need to do some soul searching and get it fixed.

[HoopS]

I really don't understand what you people want. Since 1998 Arkansas has only had 3 10 Win seasons.  Arkansas has had 6 SEC records since 1998 that were Over .500. The whole point of all of these arguments about wanting more are moot. Its time to face facts and stop crying. We will probably never be a perennial powerhouse EVER, that being said Bret Bielema has had 1 losing season.

Well, there's no crying or whining here.

What do I want?

I want a great team. But I'd settle for an average defense. I didn't say a Bama D. Just, not the worst in the conference and possible the country.

Seems reasonable.

He's a defensive minded coach and is getting paid upper echelon money. I'm asking for middle of the pack here. To start. He's had plenty of time to get us some players. We need a major upgrade - just to get to the middle of the pack.

If he's even worth a tenth of that salary he's saying the same thing.

[bkjbearcat]

CRAIG BOHL
BRYAN HARSIN
SCOTT FROST
WILLIE FRITZ
CHRIS KLIEMAN
BO PELINI

Get used to those names in two years.

[HoopS]

CRAIG BOHL
BRYAN HARSIN
SCOTT FROST
WILLIE FRITZ
CHRIS KLIEMAN
BO PELINI

Get used to those names in two years.

Liberty
Music City
Independence
Texas

Learn to love these bowls.

[12247]

BB has far more knowledge and ability than is being shown.  He has an easy to satisfy Boss, not Alverez.  He took over a team needing building, something he had never done.  He moved to a conference where you work every day, 24/7/365 or get your ass kicked, BB is more of a noon to 3PM type.

So he has choices, keep a person who is sooo very easy to satisfy happy and cash big checks or bust his ass, maybe win 1 or 2 more annually and lose out on many things in life, you know, like fun things and still cash a big checks.  He could work that DC and that defense till their tongues are hanging out but damn, that would mean working himself until his tongue hung out, isn't gonna happen.  It comes down to a matter of priorities.

[bkjbearcat]

Liberty
Music City
Independence
Texas

Learn to love these bowls.

I'm not saying good or bad. Don't don't expect a miracle like Chip Kelly or Mark Dantonio. Start looking at the MAC, Mountain West or American Conference.

[HoopS]

I'm not saying good or bad. Don't don't expect a miracle like Chip Kelly or Mark Dantonio. Start looking at the MAC, Mountain West or American Conference.

you know, I'm not actually calling for his head. I just want to see us play defense much better. The offense is good enough to compete.

[ImHogginIt]

you know, I'm not actually calling for his head. I just want to see us play defense much better. The offense is good enough to compete.

I just want to see him recruit better. Just two or three more difference makers each class compared to what he's been getting would make a world of difference. That's really not too unreasonable for us to expect right ?

[HotlantaHog]

From the outside it is very hard to tell what is wrong. Is it the scheme? Is it the talent? Is it the coaching?

My guess, but only a guess, is that the coaches seem reasonably competent, but they have on the field players who may not be up to SEC standards in every case, or the backups who swap in every other play may not be ....

When Hogs lost a few key players last year, the difference became magnified ...

In the end, it doesn't matter what the issue is. It is all on CBB to fix it or on Jeff Long to find someone who can.

[HoopS]

Lack of speed. IMO

[Youngsta71701]

Agreed. For reasons I can't understand, we have become soft.

Beilema is into TV and entertainment now instead of hard nose tough football.

[Tejano Jawg]

When we hired Bielema, I quickly jumped on board because we had hired someone who we thought would put a real emphasis on DEFENSE.

To me, I was excited because I felt like we would finally realize how important D is and would surely get better and better under him.

We may well have the worst DEFENSE I can remember.

This is not what we signed up for.

I'm with you. I didn't know much about Bielema when he came on board, but was also optimistic about 2 things—defense and our lines. Our weaknesses this year was our o-line...and yes, defense.

And this IS the worst defense I've ever seen. I looked up the year after Hatfield left (which really doesn't count because other than Quinn Grovey, we were bad across the board.) In that year we gave up 49 (twice), 54 and 62. But I challenge anyone to say those losses felt as bad as A&M, Bama, Auburn and LSU. Mizzou is in another class by itself.

I didn't know what Bielema's offense would look like, even though I heard the terms like "smash mouth" and "strong ground game." I really didn't care what we did to score points, but I was interested in stopping people. Petrino didn't seem to focus enough on defense. It always seemed like an afterthought. I thought we'd shore that up fast, and in 2014 it looked like we were on our way. The degree that we regressed this year is mind-blowing.