Sources: Bret Bielema to Arkansas

[JonLP24]

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema has accepted the vacant coaching position at Arkansas, sources said.

Arkansas is expected to officially announce Bielema's hiring Tuesday, according to sources.

Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long has not formally confirmed the hiring of Bielema but tweeted, "New Football Coach release at 6:05 PM Today Go Hogs!!!"

Bielema owns a 68-24 record in seven seasons at Wisconsin and has coached the Badgers to three consecutive Rose Bowl appearances.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8709694/bret-bielema-head-coach-wisconsin-badgers-accepts-position-coach-arkansas-razorbacks-source

[MadBadger]

1. I dont get the move and have no idea how to feel about it

Bielema is a decent coach but he hasnt won the big game yet. He mismanages the clock, his timeouts. So in a way I wont miss him. But i knew what i was getting.

He's going to make 1.5 million more apparently which is huge. If its not about the money (its definitely about the money) I dont understand him making which at the moment isnt a lateral move.

[getting old in mke]

2. I know.

I'm pretty much meh with it. Certainly not broken up about it. Though it will be interesting to see what approach they take to replacing him.

[hughee99]

6. He's moving to a conference where the champ plays for the BCS championship every year.

Wisconsin is a good program, but he's got a better chance at a National Championship in the SEC. Although he'll be making more in Arkansas, the athletic budget at Wisconsin is about $20 million higher. I'm not sure what the split between football and other sports is, though. He's also moving into a program that's not a complete rebuilding project with a lot of talented underclassmen, so there's a decent chance he can have some success quickly.

[Condem]

3. From the oven to the frying pan.

Good luck in the SEC West!!

[Bluzmann57]

4. Bielema timeline

HS in a tiny town in Northern Illinois.
Walk on tough bastard at Iowa.
Asst. at Iowa and then Wisconsin
Head coach at Wisconsin
I guess my point is, how can a Yankee farm boy make it in the rugged SEC? Those Southerners take college football seriously and I'm not sure Bielema will be able to make it down there. But good luck anyway. And good luck to Wisconsin. Who will they get as head coach? Strange hire.

[getting old in mke]

5. Yankee farm boy?

Guess it depends on where you're from (I'm originally from Norther Illinois myself, and Yankee is an alien notion for the geography...)

Reminds me of the old saw:

To foreigners, a Yankee is an American. To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner. To Northerners, a Yankee is an Easterner. To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander. To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter. And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who eats pie for breakfast.

[Bluzmann57]

8. Wow.

Sorry my attempt at humor caused you so much angst. I'm from eastern Iowa, Quad Cities area, and I was just trying to be humorous. I promise to be serious from now on.

[getting old in mke]

9. I grew up a Rock Islander

I got the humor...just wanted to add to it

[hughee99]

7. Saban is from WV, Urban Meyer and Les Miles are from Ohio (I think)

Even Petrino was from Montana. A lot of coaches not from "SEC country" have had success there. I'm not sure if he'll be successful or not, but given the available options, he seems like a decent fit.