BRET BIELEMA NAMED ARKANSAS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
By: UA Sports Information
Updated: December 5, 2012
FAYETTEVILLE,
Ark. - Bret Bielema, who led Wisconsin to three straight
Rose Bowls by winning each of the last three Big Ten titles, was named the 32nd
head football coach in Arkansas history Tuesday, it was announced by Vice
Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long.
"Bret Bielema is an
exceptional leader of young men and an outstanding football coach who has proven
his program is centered on establishing an unshakable foundation that emphasizes
the development of each student-athlete as an individual," Long said. "Coach
Bielema has led his team to a historic run of championships while seeing a
record number of student-athletes recognized for academic achievement.
Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a commitment to competing for a
national championship with a program known for discipline, honesty and
integrity. His tough, aggressive style of play has been successful and will be
appealing to student-athletes and Razorback fans. He not only shares the vision
and values for the future of Arkansas football, he embraces them."
Bielema brings a 68-24
(.739) career record as a head coach, the ninth-highest winning percentage among
active coaches in the NCAA with at least five years of experience, built behind
strong offense, stifling defense and all-around disciplined play. He is one of
only 12 active head coaches and 16 overall to have led a team to at least three
BCS games. His 40 wins over the last four seasons are tied for the most of any
four-year stretch in Wisconsin history.
"I am very humbled and
honored to become the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks," said Bielema.
"During my conversation with Jeff (Long) he described the characteristics for
the perfect fit to lead this program. It was evident we share the same mission,
principles and goals. The infrastructure in place at Arkansas shows the
commitment from the administration to accomplish our goals together and I am
excited to begin to lead this group of student-athletes. This program will
represent the state of Arkansas in a way Razorback fans everywhere will be proud
of."
In 2012, Bielema guided Wisconsin to its
third straight Big Ten championship and the Badgers became the first team to
represent the Big Ten in three straight Rose Bowls since Michigan qualified
following the 1976-78 seasons. In his most recent game as Wisconsin head coach,
Bielema led the Badgers to a 70-31 win over No. 14 Nebraska in the Big Ten
Championship Game. Wisconsin became the second team to score 70 points in a
conference championship game, matching the number scored by Texas in the 2005
Big 12 Championship Game. Wisconsin also had two 200-yard rushers in the same
game for the first time in school history.
Also during the 2012 season,
running back Montee Ball broke the NCAA career records for total touchdowns and
rushing touchdowns. Ball has scored 82 total touchdowns, breaking the previous
record of 78, and 76 rushing touchdowns, besting the old record of 73. As a
team, the Badgers rank in the top 25 in the country in rushing offense, total
defense, scoring defense, rushing defense, pass efficiency defense and pass
defense.
In Bielema's seven seasons
as head coach, he has had 16 players earn All-America honors, including 10
first-team All-Americans. Wisconsin also had two Outland Trophy winners, one
winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and one Lott IMPACT Trophy winner
as well as finalists for numerous other individual awards, including the Heisman
Trophy. In the last five years, 16 Badgers were taken in the NFL Draft,
including three in the first round.
Bielema, who served as
Wisconsin's defensive coordinator for two seasons before becoming head coach,
was on staff as UW compiled a 55-6 record at Camp Randall Stadium in his nine
years. The Badgers won their first 16 home games under Bielema, the
second-longest home winning streak in school
history.
In his first two seasons as
head coach, Bielema led Wisconsin to 21 wins. Only two other men in Big Ten
history, Michigan's Fielding Yost (22) and Ohio State's Jim Tressel (21), have
guided their teams to as many as 21 wins in their first two seasons as Big Ten
head coaches.
Bielema coached Wisconsin to
victories in 17 of his first 18 games. That represents the second-best start to
a head coaching career in Big Ten history. Only Michigan's Yost, who went 55-0-1
from 1901-05, had a better beginning to a
career.
In 2011, the Badgers won the
inaugural Big Ten Championship Game, defeating Michigan State 42-39 to advance
to the Rose Bowl for the second straight season. Wisconsin, winners of the
Leaders Division, finished the season with an 11-3 record and recorded 11
regular-season victories for just the third time in school history, all under
Bielema's watch.
Wisconsin's high-powered
offense ranked sixth in the country in scoring in 2011 behind quarterback
Russell Wilson and Ball. They became the first teammates in FBS history to throw
at least 30 touchdowns and run for at least 30 scores in the same season. Ball,
a first-team All-American, was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and tied Barry
Sanders' FBS record for touchdowns scored in a season with 39 and broke Sanders'
NCAA single-season scoring record with 236 points. Offensive linemen Peter Konz
and Kevin Zeitler also earned first-team All-America recognition. The Badgers
had a school-record nine players receive first-team All-Big Ten
honors.
In 2010, the Badgers won a
share of the 12th Big Ten championship in school history and first since 1999.
UW tied a school record with seven conference victories and earned their first
trip to the Rose Bowl since 1999. Wisconsin finished the season with an 11-2
record and ranked No. 7 in the final Associated Press Poll. The Badgers were
explosive on offense, setting a school record and ranking fifth in the country
in scoring offense averaging 41.5 points per game. Their 45.2 points per game in
conference play was the second-highest average in Big Ten history. Wisconsin
nearly became the first team in FBS history to have three running backs gain
1,000 yards in the same season as James White finished with 1,052 yards, John
Clay had 1,012 and Ball ran for 996.
Wisconsin was the most
disciplined team in the country in 2010, leading the nation in both fewest
turnovers with nine and fewest penalties per game with an average of 3.15. UW
also ranked in the top 10 nationally in pass efficiency, third-down conversions,
fourth-down conversions, red zone offense, time of possession and turnover
margin. The Badgers were one of just six teams in the country to rank among the
top 25 in both total offense and total
defense.
Wisconsin players took home
several national awards in 2010, including the Outland Trophy (Gabe Carimi), the
Lott IMPACT Trophy (J.J. Watt) and the Unitas Golden Arm Award (Scott Tolzien).
Carimi, Clay, Lance Kendricks, John Moffitt and Watt were all named
All-Americans, giving Wisconsin its most All-America honorees since 1999.
Bielema also garnered national acclaim for the Badgers' tremendous season. He
was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson, Bear Bryant and Home Depot Coach of
the Year awards as well as a semifinalist for the Joseph V. Paterno Coach of the
Year Award.
Eighteen players received
All-Big Ten recognition, including five first-teamers. Carimi, Kendricks,
Moffitt, Watt and Antonio Fenelus were all named first-team All-Big Ten, while
Carimi was named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and White was chosen as
the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Wisconsin's success under
Bielema translated to the classroom as well. UW had a record-tying 22 members of
the football team honored as Academic All-Big Ten in 2010, the second
consecutive season Wisconsin had 22 players named Academic All-Big Ten. Before
2009, the school record was 19, set in Bielema's second
season.
In 2009, Wisconsin won 10
games for just the sixth time in school history, capping the season with a win
in the Champs Sports Bowl over No. 14 Miami. The Badgers started the season 5-0
before dropping a pair of games to teams ranked in the top 15. Wisconsin then
won five of its last six games to finish the season 10-3. After not being ranked
to start the season, UW finished the year ranked 16th in both
polls.
In addition to team success,
a number of Badger individuals earned honors in 2009. Running back John Clay was
named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year while linebacker Chris Borland took
home conference freshman of the year honors. A total of five Badgers were named
first-team All-Big Ten. Wisconsin led the Big Ten in scoring offense, total
offense, rushing offense, rushing defense, sacks, time of possession and red
zone offense. In the national rankings, UW ranked among the top 10 in rushing
defense, third-down conversions, sacks, time of possession and red zone
offense.
In 2008, Bielema guided the
Badgers to a school-record seventh consecutive bowl game. UW began the season
3-0, including a road win at No. 21 Fresno State, Wisconsin's first road win
over a ranked non-conference opponent since 1958. Bielema took the Badgers to
New Year's Day bowl games in each of first his two campaigns as head coach. In
2007, the Badgers were 9-4 overall and Bielema was a semifinalist for the George
Munger Award, given by the Maxwell Football Club to the national coach of the
year. The 2007 Badgers fought through key injuries and other forms of adversity
to win four of their last five games and earn an invitation to the Outback Bowl
in Tampa, Fla. Tight end Travis Beckum and kicker Taylor Mehlhaff earned
All-America honors.
Bielema guided the Badgers
to a 12-1 overall record and 7-1 mark in the Big Ten during his rookie year in
2006. Wisconsin capped that record-setting season with a 17-14 win over Arkansas
in the 2007 Capital One Bowl. No previous Wisconsin team had won more than 11
games in a season. In addition, Bielema became just the third rookie head coach
in NCAA Bowl Subdivision history to pilot his team to 12 victories. His efforts
were rewarded when he was named the 2006 Dave McClain Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Bielema also was named one of five finalists for the Bear Bryant National Coach
of the Year Award and was a finalist for the 2006 Schutt Sports Division IA
Coach of the Year Award.
Wisconsin surprised most
observers outside the program by setting school records for overall wins (12)
and regular-season victories (11), as well as tying the UW mark for conference
victories (seven). The Badgers did it with a defensive unit that ended the 2006
regular season ranked among the top three nationally in pass defense, pass
efficiency defense, total defense and scoring defense. And they did it with an
offense led by a pair of seniors (QB John Stocco and All-America tackle Joe
Thomas), a young but talented offensive line, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year
(P.J. Hill) at tailback and an emerging corps of receivers, including John
Mackey Award semifinalist Travis Beckum.
Bielema was Wisconsin's
defensive coordinator in 2004 and 2005, a period in which the program produced a
19-6 record under former head coach Barry Alvarez. The 2004 Badgers were ranked
sixth nationally in scoring defense and ninth in total defense. The 2005 club,
which earned Wisconsin's first shutout since 1999, finished its 10-win season
with a 24-10 victory over No. 7 Auburn in the 2006 Capital One Bowl, limiting
the high-powered Tigers to just 236 yards of total
offense.
During Bielema's two years
guiding the Badger defense, two players earned first-team All-America honors and
two others were first-team All-Big Ten selections. While coaching the Badgers'
linebackers, Bielema developed Mark Zalewski and Dontez Sanders, both of whom
earned honorable mention all-conference
acclaim.
Bielema was co-defensive
coordinator at Kansas State under Bill Snyder in 2002 and 2003. The Wildcats
were 22-6 during Bielema's time in Manhattan and finished in the top 10
nationally both seasons in scoring and total defense. The Wildcats won their
first Big 12 title in 2003. Among Bielema's standout players at Kansas State
were first-team All-American Josh Buhl, 2003 NFL second-round draft pick Terry
Pierce and second-team All-Big 12 selection Bryan
Hickman.
Prior to his years at Kansas
State, Bielema spent nine seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Iowa,
where he worked for head coaches Hayden Fry and Kirk Ferentz. The 1997 Hawkeyes
posted three shutouts and ranked No. 4 nationally in scoring
defense.
Bielema lettered from
1989-92 at Iowa after joining the program as a walk-on. He earned a scholarship
after his first year and was a member of Iowa's 1990 Big Ten championship team.
A starter as a junior in 1991, he was a team co-captain as a senior. Bielema
signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks and later completed his
playing career with the Milwaukee Mustangs of the Arena Football
League.
A 1992 graduate of Iowa with a
degree in marketing, Bielema is married to the former Jen
Hielsberg.
Bret Bielema
Coaching History
Dec. 2012
Arkansas (Head Coach)
2006-12
Wisconsin (Head Coach)
2004-05
Wisconsin (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2002-03
Kansas State (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
1996-2001
Iowa (Linebackers)
1994-95
Iowa (Graduate Assistant)
Birthdate: Jan. 13,
1970
Home
Town: Prophetstown, Ill.
Family:
Wife, Jen
Bowl
Games: Rose Bowl, 2013; Rose Bowl, 2012; Rose Bowl,
2011; Champs Sports Bowl, 2009; Champs Sports Bowl, 2008; Outback Bowl, 2008;
Capital One Bowl, 2007; Capital One Bowl, 2006; Outback Bowl, 2005; Fiesta Bowl,
2004; Holiday Bowl, 2002; Alamo Bowl, 2001; Sun Bowl, 1997; Alamo Bowl, 1996;
Sun Bowl, 1995; Holiday Bowl 1991; Rose Bowl, 1991
