A provocateur insists that I mention that Razorback coach Bret Bielema’s name emerged as being a target of the search for a new coach at Nebraska. Funny. Nebraska just fired a coach who won nine games every year. It’s taken two years for Bielema to win nine at Arkansas.
Bielema’s Twitter account last mentioned a Hog recruiting trip. I don’t think he’s going anywhere. But what do I know?
UPDATE: Answer to above question: Nothing. The stories now have Bielema in “serious talks” with Nebraska. Easier to win in that conference. The silence from UA Athletic Director Jeff Long is kind of deafening, now that I think about it.
Nebraska would have to pay the UA $2.5 million to buy out the contract of Bielema, who makes about $3.2 million a year.
I’ve asked the Athletic Department for comment. (But, I expect they might say commenting on every coaching rumor would be silly. Which is kind of true.) Others noted that Bielema was quoted earlier today as saying his commitment to Arkansas was “long term.” Also, he tweeted just this afternoon that he was recruiting a future Hog in Indiana. Doesn’t sound like a man closeted with agents. Also, he spoke with reporters by phone earlier in the day and talked about working with Long to get better contracts for his assistant coaches.
UPDATE II: Hawgs Illustrated tweets that it has “confirmed” Bielema isn’t leaving Arkansas. And an ESPN reporter who claims to have talked directly to Bielema says same thing and that he’s “all Hog.”
So, back to your regularly scheduled griping.
PS: The UA is working on contract improvements for Bielema assistants. In light of today’s news — and I still haven’t gotten a response from the UA Athletic Department on a question of whether Nebraska had sought permission to talk to Bielema — I wonder if perhaps Bielema’s own UA contract could be undergoing revision. I’ve asked that question as well.