"Was excited to see some young guys get in there, stay relatively injury-free, see some guys do some things they haven't done in the past," Bielema said. "O-line had a great day of protecting the quarterback with zero sacks, only got hit twice." - Arkansas coach Bret Bielema
- Regrading having visitors in Little Rock, Bielema said even though it's a home game they won't be allowed to have official visits. They may however have unofficial visits, and those players are allowed to get free tickets but they have to travel on their own dime. Bielema said it is a negative in the sense that there are only a few opportunities for home games.
- As for improving, offensively he said they were better on first and third down than they were on second down, so he'd like to see more efficiency on that down. If they miss a pass on first down, they'd love to get at least half the yardage back on second down so they're in a 3rd-and-5.
- Regarding the fit at Arkansas, Bielema said there were things that were exciting to him before he arrived. He had flown into Arkansas once before in his life, and the scenery and the demographics of the state appealed to him. He said he knew it was a chance to galvanize the state with no pro teams and no other major conference teams. He also said it was an opportunity for he and his wife Jen to step into something new together. He also said there's a family atmosphere among the coaches.
- Bielema said the older he gets the wiser he gets. He loves to compete, and he said in the past he probably relished in that moment longer than he needed to, and that probably has rubbed people the wrong way. He said he tells his players don't confuse confidence with cockiness, and sometimes that's how he thinks he was perceived.
- Regarding 10 SEC teams being ranked in the Top-25, Bielema quipped "I love it, it's just wonderful. I say that with a smile out of both sides." He pointed to Ohio State having one game left on their schedule against a ranked opponent, and Arkansas has eight ranked opponents left on their schedule. He said if anybody tries to argue the level of competitive balance against another conference, it's complete nonsense.
- Hunter Henry will come out holding the Arkansas flag on Saturday when he comes out to play in his hometown. Bielema said he's been told by scouts, whether he's a junior or senior, he's probably the best NFL tight end prospect in the country.
- Arkansas was the only SEC team with a 300-yard passer last season. He said when he came to Arkansas he brought the stigma of a ground and pound, and the results furthered that perception the first two years. But he wants to be a balanced offense. He has said in the past that 200 and 200 is a good recipe for winning. He said Brandon Allen has every throw in the bag, and now he has receivers. He also noted there wasn't a drop on Saturday.
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