HOOVER, Ala. – Arkansas coach Bret Bielema is willing to speak his mind, even if it means a little emotion will come out.
After leaving Wisconsin to take the job with the Razorbacks, Bielema trudged through an 0-8 season in the Southeastern Conference in 2013 and 0-5 start to the conference slate in 2014 before finally turning the corner late last season. Arkansas won three of its last four games, including wins against LSU and Ole Miss and a bowl win against Texas to finish the season 7-6 overall.
Revamping a program is a tall task, but optimism seems to be theme in Fayetteville these days. So when Bielema speaks about three seniors, who he did not recruit, buying into his philosophy and becoming men he’s proud enough of to bring to SEC Media Days, he means it.
“The three kids we brought with us today represent a lot of great things,” Bielema said while overcome with emotion. “So to see them here, to see them embrace it, if you get done interviewing them and you can’t say those are three great kids, then we’ll have a disagreement.”
One of those three seniors, quarterback Brandon Allen, may be the difference in the Razorbacks success in the SEC West. Allen is the most experienced quarterback in the SEC and is efficient with football in hands, recording 20 touchdowns to just five interceptions in 2014. But Bielema thought a change at offensive coordinator could make Allen even better.
Former Central Michigan coach Dan Enos now leads the offense but will also be the quarterbacks coach, grooming Allen in his pro-style system. Enos played quarterback at Michigan State in the late 1980s, which is something Allen found beneficial.
“What I love about coach Enos is that he has played the position,” Allen said. “So he can tell me things from experience, and I can trust that he knows the things I’m seeing and the things I’m going through. All the advice he gives me I can really take to heart because he’s been here and done that.”
Fortunately for Allen and Enos, they can also rely on an solid ground game, led by four returning offensive lineman and two-1000 yard rushers. In a conference full of capable running backs, senior Jonathan Williams and junior Alex Collins form perhaps the best 1-2 punch in the league.
That’s part of the reason Williams doesn’t mind splitting reps with Collins.
“We’re two competitors,” Williams said. “When I break a long run, he wants to. When he breaks one, I want to in practice…That competitive nature just makes us better.”