Bret Bielema Will Be Next Head Coach at Arkansas, Leaving Wisconsin
All, College Football December 4th. 2012, 3:06pm
Bret Bielema wanted to put some distance between himself and Urban Meyer. He has decided to move to the SEC. Pat Forde is reporting the Wisconsin coach has accepted the head coaching job at Arkansas, just days after leading the Badgers to their third-straight Rose Bowl. This is the man who said last winter he “did not want to be like the SEC in any way, shape or form.” Wow.
According to Mark Schlabach, Bielema still wants to coach the Badgers in the Rose Bowl.
[Photo via Presswire]
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December 4th, 2012 at 3:08 PM
someone told me there would be free nacho’s in here.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:08 PM
Seems like he’ll fit in well with the SEC.
/spits dip on artificial turf
December 4th, 2012 at 3:09 PM
Nicely done Arkansas. Can’t wait to see the contract terms as I imagine he will be paid Saban money.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:09 PM
Great hire. Much better than the other people rumored to be in consideration. Totally out of left field too.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:10 PM
But the SEC’s recruiting practices aren’t in accord with Bielema’s righteousness….hypocritical ass
December 4th, 2012 at 3:10 PM
And urlacher is done for the year.
Wisconsin folks…tell hogs fans what they’ve won!
December 4th, 2012 at 3:12 PM
Urban is gonna steal all of Wisky’s recruits…thanks Bret.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:13 PM
Great hire. Much better than the other people rumored to be in consideration. Totally out of left field too.
Agreed that it’s probably a better hire than Gundy.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Probably? It easily is. I just pray UT doesn’t have to hire Gundy.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Wisconsin second best gig open now?
December 4th, 2012 at 3:16 PM
Bielema still wants to coach the Badgers in the Rose Bowl.
Hahahaha.
This hire saved Gundy’s ass. Maybe he’ll cool his heels and realize he has the fucking world at OSU.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:16 PM
Pitt’s the worst, time to come home Paul Chryst
December 4th, 2012 at 3:16 PM
Gundy to Bucky?
December 4th, 2012 at 3:17 PM
Just read that Mark Mangino will be the next head coach at Auburn
December 4th, 2012 at 3:17 PM
Mike Tice is available, Wisconsin
December 4th, 2012 at 3:17 PM
Would’ve been a good hire for Wisconsin…
December 4th, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Is a shit hole like arkansas (outside the beauty of the ozarks) thst much better than camp Randall? Is this a conference promotion? Just a cash grab?
December 4th, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Bill O’Brien to Bucky?
December 4th, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Just read that Mark Mangino will be the next head coach at Auburn
Surely you can’t be serious.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Always thought Bielema was a little overrated personally, not sure it’s that big of a loss for Wisconsin/Big10.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Where is ArkBadger?
Happily chugging relabeled Canadian whiskey.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:19 PM
He just traded on 2nd tier school for another, so cash grab is my guess.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Someone the local residents can really identify with?
December 4th, 2012 at 3:20 PM
IS THAT BARRY ALVAREZ’S MUSIC!?!!?
December 4th, 2012 at 3:21 PM
I’m ecstatic about this
December 4th, 2012 at 3:21 PM
Fatty who likes beer, cheese and brats? Sure. Also, Oklahoma’s run game coordinator back when they had one.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:21 PM
Sean John, why don’t you like Gundy?
December 4th, 2012 at 3:22 PM
He is serious, and dont call him Surely.
/Worked better in Airplane
December 4th, 2012 at 3:22 PM
Wondered if you wouldn’t like this. I’m not happy with trading Bielema for Chryst and all of his assistants…
December 4th, 2012 at 3:22 PM
I’d pee myself with glee, maybe he’ll be inspired by Bill Snyder’s second go-around
December 4th, 2012 at 3:22 PM
Tennessee interviewing Larry Fedora…..allegedly
December 4th, 2012 at 3:23 PM
Seriously? I’m not saying Gundy’s the best coach in the world or anything, but I thought the general consensus is Bielema is sort of shitty.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:23 PM
Maybe they’ll hire another Hawkeye. There’s one just 193 miles away that they can lure…
December 4th, 2012 at 3:24 PM
Agree. Gundy would’ve been a much better hire.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:25 PM
you best watch your fucking tone.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:25 PM
Now THAT would be mother fucking hilarious. I mean. What a steal! 16 time Big 10 coach of the year! Greatest football mind since Paul Brown!
December 4th, 2012 at 3:25 PM
vez…sorry i didnt get back to you in an appropriate time, i was working. you wanna know why i told you to shut the fuck up in the tebow post?
yesterday, you said this…
and then you made comment 52 in the tebow post and later castigated a variety of us for “telling people what to think and how to feel” when it was clear that you were doing neither throughout your comment thread.
think of it as me trying to do you a favor. sometimes you just gotta walk away and admit youre talking out of your ass.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:26 PM
WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT…WHAT THE FUCK?!?@!?!@?!@?!@??
December 4th, 2012 at 3:26 PM
Just read that Malzhan will be the next head coach at Auburn, super cereal this time.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:27 PM
Malzhan is taking the Auburn job, yes. Came down to him and Kirby Smart.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:27 PM
You don’t even need to provide a link…he left his signature in the comment.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:28 PM
Damn, I could have gone back to Wisconsin, why didnt I wait a few days…
/Dave Doeren’d
December 4th, 2012 at 3:28 PM
It’s Sean Jean, but nonetheless: He’s fine, but I don’t think his style translates to the SEC whatsoever. Bielema’s does perfectly. Also, I just don’t think Gundy is that great of a coach frankly. He had one damn good year last year, no doubt, but he’s not that proven beyond that. Bielema has been doing it for a while now. I’m just not that impressed with Gundy.
And yes, UT is interviewing everyone that has ever touched a football allegedly.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:28 PM
Apparently Bielema was sick of losing in BCS bowls every year. Now he won’t have to worry about going to any.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:28 PM
Yep, sounds like Malzahn has the job at Auburn.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:28 PM
spence, i appreciate you following through, but i’m not sure where i told people what to think and/or feel. i have no problem admitting mistakes, just need some clarification on where i told folks what to think and do
December 4th, 2012 at 3:29 PM
As would I. This is new territory for Wisconsin fans. Bielema was handpicked and the transition was pretty seamless. Obviously not the case this time around.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Bob Bostad coming back home.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:29 PM
For those of you familiar with how Auburn operate, Malzahn seems obvious – a safe, comfortable choice since everyone there knows him. Loving Jesus a plus.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:29 PM
and also, i’m pretty sure other people aren;’t that interested in our conversation, which is why i asked you to take it to email
December 4th, 2012 at 3:29 PM
what a masterstroke. that dude can professionally maneuver with the best.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:29 PM
lol @ Mazahln at Auburn if true. Oh man that’s just too good.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:30 PM
Hernia just stroked out.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:30 PM
Interesting, because it means that Alzarez was likely given the opportunity to match the offer and didn’t.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:32 PM
Arkansas may not be an ideal job, but they pay ideal money.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:33 PM
I do not think Bielema and Arkansas will work out well at all. He’s just not the personality that they need, and I can’t see him recruiting well.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:33 PM
btw i’ll laugh my ass off if Wisky hires Chryst and Pitt has to scramble for their 10th coach in 3 years.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:33 PM
Where are you guys that Malzahn is going to Auburn? Is Wisky now the best job available?
December 4th, 2012 at 3:34 PM
Bielema beat up on a B1G that featured a down Ohio State and Michigan. I don’t think there’s many at Wisconsin that are going to be all that upset over his departure. They’ll welcome back Chryst. I think Bret saw the writing on the wall that Urban had the strangle on his division and bolted for cash.
If there’s one true thing about college football, it’s that no matter who you are as a coach, you always get fired at some point*. Bielema wasn’t going to be winning his division any time soon with Ohio State eligible again. Why not take a cash grab at Arkansas and get your brains beat in by Saban and Les while getting a raise?
* – unless you have a $20+ million buy-out
December 4th, 2012 at 3:35 PM
my bad on the name homes. I just thought Gundy’s style translated well to Arkansas. He can also recruit Texas real well, which for Arkansas would work well.
Bielema being able to recruit the south alongside the Hat and Saban worries me a bit.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:35 PM
my bad on the name homes. I just thought Gundy’s style translated well to Arkansas. He can also recruit Texas real well, which for Arkansas would work well.
Bielema being able to recruit the south alongside the Hat and Saban worries me a bit.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:35 PM
vez…im done combing thru comments for examples, ive wasted enough time on this as it is.
i gave you a crystal clear example of what rankled me above. and i never said YOU told people how to think or feel, just that in your various comments in the thread, you were neither thoughtful, researched or empathetic.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:35 PM
I don’t know where it’s at on the internet, but my connected folks at Auburn have told me that Malzahn is a done deal.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:36 PM
Hernia just stroked out.
Did you just say Hernia came?
/Hernia’d
December 4th, 2012 at 3:37 PM
Valid points. Just my opinion. I don’t think Gundy is all that. We shall see.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:37 PM
I wonder if O’Brien is more interested in going back to the NFL than going to another college job. After the job he did this year, I hope he stays, but I’d understand if he did leave.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:38 PM
pretty much this..BB’s last 2 conference titles come with gigantic * on them. The real fun will be him complaining that Les and Saban don’t play nice in the sandbox re recruiting
December 4th, 2012 at 3:41 PM
I wouldn’t go that far, two years ago weren’t they OSU’s only loss? You’re creating a paradox if any other team winning a title means OSU/Mich are down if “down” means they didn’t win the conference
December 4th, 2012 at 3:41 PM
Hernia just stroked out.
Did you just say Hernia came?
/Hernia’d
It’s the color of his hair.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:42 PM
Ya, didn’t he complain about Urban poaching on day 1?
December 4th, 2012 at 3:43 PM
Also, Bielema just put 70 on a #12 ranked team in a conference championship by basically running the ball the entire game. Let’s not ignore this.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:43 PM
Yeah, he kind of did.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:43 PM
How about I just say that Bret is scared of Urban? Because I think Bret is scared of Urban. If he fails at Arkansas, big whoop. He’ll probably get $4M+ a year to try. Then he can coach in the Big XII like all the other SEC reject coaches.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:46 PM
some are driven by challenges. you turn around arkansas, you get a savior tag
December 4th, 2012 at 3:46 PM
So I can put Michigan back atop my most hated Big Ten teams list. Fuck Bielema. Dude was a complete dickbag.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:47 PM
Wisky is like VaTech or Georgia, good enough to beat all the teams they should beat but they come up just short of elite.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:47 PM
I was referring to last year (OSU’s worst team in a decade) and this year (lost to OSU, OSU ineligible).
December 4th, 2012 at 3:48 PM
That’s why i thought Miles might have taken the job. He’ll never be the savior at LSU cause Saban got there first.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:49 PM
BB isn’t a bad coach butters, just some national CFB people are acting like this is a huge black eye for the conference
December 4th, 2012 at 3:49 PM
That about sums it up nicely, only with Bielema you eliminated the chances for big upsets like Alvarez could pull
December 4th, 2012 at 3:50 PM
IS THAT BARRY ALVAREZ’S MUSIC!?!!?
+1 LOL
December 4th, 2012 at 3:50 PM
just some national CFB people are acting like this is a huge black eye for the conference
i did hear delaney’s name mentioned
December 4th, 2012 at 3:51 PM
Good move for Bielsma. He can go go .500 over 4 years, get canned, and go back to another 2nd tier B1G job with SEC recruiting ties.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:51 PM
It sucks that a quality coach (he’s not Nick Saban but he ain’t Gene Chizik either) left the conference after one of the worst years in the conference’s history.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:52 PM
Yeah, like that…one.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:52 PM
And under Bielema, rolling IU for 80 and scoring 17 against a real team was the norm.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:53 PM
Wisconsin is a Winklevoss of College Football. If they were gonna be elite, they would have been elite. Way better to be in the SEC.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:54 PM
Wisconsin second best gig open now?
Send best to App State? Sure.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:55 PM
Which is why margin of victory is a stupid way to determine a champ.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:55 PM
Being from Wisconsin that is the exact sentiment on Bielema.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:55 PM
Whoa, no way!
December 4th, 2012 at 3:57 PM
Urban is gonna steal all of Wisky’s recruits…thanks Bret.
Do they have any 5-stars worth stealing?
/there’s the pitch
December 4th, 2012 at 3:58 PM
Bielema can take his Iowa Hawkeye Tattoo and leave ASAP.
December 4th, 2012 at 3:58 PM
No.
December 4th, 2012 at 4:01 PM
Last B1G coach to leave for the SEC – Nick Saban
December 4th, 2012 at 4:03 PM
Carolina on suicide watch if this happens. With all the other openings and their sanctions they are not getting anyone good to replace him.
December 4th, 2012 at 4:26 PM
Wait, Gundy is a shitty coach now? His team was ranked all year despite losing a ton of talent and starting a third stringer under center. Gundy to Tennessee makes a ton of sense.
December 4th, 2012 at 5:08 PM
Pat Forde is reporting the Wisconsin coach has accepted the head coaching job at Arkansas,
That may be true, but SOURCES TELL ESPN that he is leaving Wisky for Arky.
December 4th, 2012 at 5:41 PM
This.
Fellow Mad-town alum and the consensus between me and everyone of my friends is this is a good thing. As long as the replacement is someone we are expecting (i.e. Chryst or Bostad)
Also, when you look at Bostad’s resume and it makes wayyyyy too much sense.
Wisconsin would want him for a ton of reasons: He coached Wisco from 2006-2011 as a coordinator for all of our best positions/specialities (TE, OL, RB’s). He now has an NFL pedigree as Tampa’s o-line coach (which I bet would be helpful for the Florida pipeline). Also if anyone has noticed, Wisconsin’s o-line took a huge step down recently and it’s not solely due to Chryst leaving. And although I’ll admit Chryst is a better fit just based on the coordinators he’d bring back, we’d have to deal with his buyout clause. Not sure Sconnie would do that.
And he’d obviously want to come back since he’s originally from Wisconsin, it would be a step up from coordinator to head coaching, more $, the school represents what he’s good at, probably has a relationship with Barry.
So yeah, he’d perfect. The only coaches I can think that would make more/equal sense would be Chryst or an Alvarez return.
December 4th, 2012 at 5:43 PM
Not surprised one bit. The local sports stations have been asking how many more 9-4 or 10-3 seasons they should give him before the axe. UW acting lie it’s a SEC team. Grab the cash, move to warm weather. Instead of ice fishing its duck hunting. He’ll become great friends with @CloydRivers. God Bless Merica!
December 4th, 2012 at 7:15 PM
Good Riddance. Was in meetings all afternoon… was shocked, but can’t say I’m too upset over it. He drove me nuts.