I think that's a really good summary of it all, especially the part about thinking he can succeed in the SEC, which would elevate his profile. "I keep going 10-2 in the Big Ten. WHEN (not if) I do that in the SEC, I get more money and a better reputation".AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:Regarding Bielema to Arkansas....Yeah, I don't get why he would leave Wisconsin for Arky. Speculations include:
He didn't feel he was getting respect in Wisconsin. I wonder if that means the same kind of respect Pujols didn't get. Likely.
Alvarez told him his job was in danger if he didn't start winning close games. Sounds made up.
Really, there's not an obvious reason that jumps out. I'd say the respect thing may be a pretty big one. Alvarez still is more of a household name than Bielema even after 3 rose bowls.....a lot of Wisconsin fans are sending tweets (obviously the best way to judge fan reaction) to Arkansas mediatypes saying take him, he's only had success on Alvarez's coattails.... Winning the SEC (which let's be honest, every coach believes they can win wherever they are*) elevates him to a household name. *I don't think Beilema is thinking, hmmmm....if I can go 10-2 in the B1G, that is 8-4 in the SEC....or whatever. I would imagine he's thinking he can win the SEC. At least I'd hope or he is the wrong coach for not only Arkansas, but any school anywhere.
Here's why the hire makes sense for Arkansas:
He is a guy that can identify the recruits he wants and get them to a program that isn't exactly on everyone's radar. That's key for places like Arkansas.
His game plan is essentially the same as other SEC powerhouses. Run and defend. If you can't beat em, join em, I guess.
He's a proven winner. Say what you will, but 3 BCS games in 7 years has to be as many as any other coach sans Saban has.
As with all things time will tell. At first I hated the hire, partly because (maybe only because) of SIF's dislike for him. The more I think about it, the better I like it for Arkansas. I really don't get why he did it unless the money is that much more and he felt di$re$pected at Wisconsin.
Justified or not, Badger fans almost universally dislike the guy. I think at least part of that is that he's known all around Madison as a gigantic choad. Madison's a great college football town and if they think you're "one of them", they'll embrace the hell out of you. But if they feel like you've done them wrong, they'll shun the [expletive] out of you. And I think that's Burt Berlama in a nutshell in Madison.
I tend to think that the Wisconsin brand is being undersold a bit, too, in the interest of bumping Bielema's reputation. Madison is just 2.5 hours away from Chicago, the Badgers built their 20-year run by poaching St. Louis (long before Bielema was in Madison), the state loves the [expletive] out of football (it's part of the culture; just not as much as Pennsylvania/Ohio/Texas/SEC states), and Wisconsin/Minnesota/Northern Iowa has no shortage of huge fat offensive linemen to build up a killer NCAA running game. The program has also developed a reputation over a very long period of being capable of developing top-shelf NFL quality linemen. It's kind of "Offensive Tackle University". There are plenty of tactical tools there to build a winner and Bielema didn't have to travel to Siberia to find talent to make it happen.
Not that I think he was a bad hire for Arkansas. I don't know that he can compete for SEC titles (let alone national titles) but I could easily see him winning 7-9 games every year and going to lots of decent non-BCS bowls.
