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Bret Bielema's greatest hits from SEC Media Days
HOOVER, Ala. — It hasn’t taken long for Bret Bielema to have risen to the top of the SEC as the league’s most entertaining speaker. (Yes, even better than Les Miles). Just like he did last year, the Arkansas head coach put on another witty — and compelling — session at Media Days. Here are the eight most interesting things I heard the coach say Wednesday:
• On coaching his players to use this platform about issues bigger than just football: "We will talk the Media Days and the season in front of us, but don't forget the stage that you're on. Don't forget the voice that you can convey. Everybody is going to ask you to comment on today's world and the environment that we live in, different things going on, from Black Lives Matter to all of the things that happen across the nation, across the world. And if you're going to make a voice and you are going to make a stand, I said, you're already doing that, man. You represent us in the best fashion possible. You kept your nose clean. You don't have to worry whether or not — if I'm going suspend anybody for the first game. It doesn't come up in our program."
• On having to discipline players who have gotten in offseason trouble: "In four years I never had to make a decision about the opening game, if I'm going to start somebody or not. It is just something I believe in. If you do enough good things off the field and you represent what you want both on and off it, things are going to eventually go your way.”
• On winning in the classroom: “In my three years at the University of Arkansas, we had 100 Academic All-SEC players. That's the most in this conference over everybody. The guys we compete against, there's a couple schools during that time in the SEC West that have had half that number. Now, they may have talented players, but that's got to be our niche. We have to be a little bit smarter, a little bit better, play a little longer and harder than the other guy."
• On how he found out Michigan was dropping Arkansas from a scheduled future game: "I was excited about playing them. I know there's discussion about them renewing the Notre Dame game. (Arkansas AD) Jeff (Long) didn't give me a deadline. I was in Europe with my wife. We were on a train headed to Paris. ... My wife said, 'Hey, there's something about — on the internet — about a Big Ten team canceling with an SEC team.' I said, 'I don't know anything about it.' She said, 'Really? Your picture's right here.' She's real quick.
"And so I read the article and realize we've been canceled. And, you know, a lot goes into it. I get it. I understand how the SEC — I'm sorry, the Michigan-Notre Dame thing sounds sexy to everybody else, but I think Michigan and Arkansas sounds sexy. I was very excited about Big Ten versus SEC."
• On being a program that lives on development: "At Arkansas we're not built very sexy, we're just kind of a work in progress. We need a lot of time in the bathroom to get ready and come out and look great. But when we do, we'll stop time. And at some point we'll get to where we want to be. And when we get there, it just means a little bit more."
• On losing some crazy close games to Texas A&M: "I have tremendous respect for (Aggies head coach) Kevin (Sumlin), probably the guy in the business that I'm as close with as any other head coach, so tremendous respect. ... Summy, last year, when we got done with the game and we're walking across to shake hands, and he said, 'I don't know what to say.' I said, 'Don't say anything. I might punch you.'"
• On how the number of arrests at Arkansas have dropped significantly since he took over: "I believe in karma and there's things that come back. I do believe — I learned a very valuable lesson from Coach (Hayden) Fry, and he always said you recruit your own problems."
• Asked about the depth behind new starting QB Austin Allen, Bielema spoke about sophomore Rafe Peavey, redshirt freshman Ty Storey and huge 6-7, 265-pound freshman Cole Kelley, a.k.a “The Franchise,” who can throw it a country mile. Not mentioned: former USC five-star transfer Ricky Town.
