What Is This Obsession With Brett Bielema?

[goods10]

Bret inherited an absolutely loaded Wisconson team and Alvarez's top notch assistants too. He enjoyed a couple good years. His best recruiting move was to follow Kirk around and offer guys as soon as Iowa made an offer. As soon as Alvarez's recruits started graduating trouble hit and all the assistants bailed on him. He raced out of town before things completely unwound. His Arkansas teams have been not mediocre. Why would we want that? He's unproven. His best quality is his Hawkeye tattoo.

correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it Bielema's recruits who will be playing Ohio St on Saturday in the B1G champ game?

 

[MelroseHawkins]

OK you're selling me. Valid points. But still doesn't explain why most loathed him just because he wasn't a Hawk when coaching Wisky. I mean people were complaining that he was arrogant, an azz, but now he's fine. That just shows how bipolar we are on these sites.

 

[Benddontbreak]

He won the last THREE B1G titles before getting bored and leaving for the SEC. What more do you need to know?

 

[Clark]

OK you're selling me. Valid points. But still doesn't explain why most loathed him just because he wasn't a Hawk when coaching Wisky. I mean people were complaining that he was arrogant, an azz, but now he's fine. That just shows how bipolar we are on these sites.

he's still an arrogant ***, what does that have to do with wanting him as our football coach?

 

[BirdsOfPrey]

Plenty of articles out there on Brett and his Wisconson legacy. Here's a few quotes: "Bielema's Wisconsin teams rarely beat opponents with more touted high school talent. Under Bielema, the Badgers went 1-5 against Ohio State, 2-3 against Penn State and 2-4 in bowl games. Wisconsin's success is based on consistently beating its two-star peers in the Big Ten -- Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue. Wisconsin fans considered Bielema competent but workmanlike, certainly not a genius, and his successful years occurred while Ohio State and Penn State were on probation and the Rich Rod was creating a mess at Michigan. Paul Chryst was the offensive wizard at Wisky. Bielema's flaws left him unloved by many Badgers fans -- questionable late-game management, a personality that bordered on cocky and the vocabulary of a drunken sailor."

 

[KnightHawk26]

Can you think of any reason why he would take the Iowa job?

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Bret inherited an absolutely loaded Wisconson team and Alvarez's top notch assistants too. He enjoyed a couple good years. His best recruiting move was to follow Kirk around and offer guys as soon as Iowa made an offer. As soon as Alvarez's recruits started graduating trouble hit and all the assistants bailed on him. He raced out of town before things completely unwound. His Arkansas teams have been not mediocre. Why would we want that? He's unproven. His best quality is his Hawkeye tattoo.

A couple good years? Bielema coached 7 years at Wisconsin:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bret_Bielema

He won 10+ games in years 4-6. Sure, in 2008, people were questioning whether he could get it done with his own recruits, etc. but I think he answered that question from 2009-11.

 

[blubberhawk]

Bret would be my first choice and there isn't a close second.

By and large Ferentz's style fits what Iowa can realistically do in recruiting year in and year out...good lines...build it from there, and it's going to favor balance, strong running and play action passing. Skill positions are never going to be Iowa's strength...it's never been that way and I dont think it ever will. But if you can run it regularly, you should get your share of good RB prospects...and Bret can build that...and he is also more engaged in recruiting and seems to relate better with kids..and he'll expect his staff to be tireless and the same way as it relates to recruiting, not something that has been the case at Iowa IMO.

I don't think just anyone can come in to the Iowa job and make it click...you have to understand what you are getting into...there are real challenges that can't be wished away...but the program also has some strengths others don't have.

Bret played there...he coached there...he knows and he could have the ultimate sales pitch to recruits.

Count me on the BB bandwagon.

Me too. Question for you.
Iowa can't recruit great "skill players" but Wisconsin can? Why?

 

[blubberhawk]

Uhh what? He had one year with Barry's recruits the 12-1 year. He coached at Wisconsin for 6 years, the last 3 were Rose Bowls. His predecessor is now benefiting from his recruits, and will probably lose some steam when he has to get his own. His assistants didn't bail on him, they wanted more money and Wisconsin wouldn't give them raises so they left, as did BB. Iowa wouldn't be bowl eligible right now with Arkansas' schedule.

Iowa would be 3-9 this year playing the Arkansas schedule.

 

[rschneider]

1. He's proven himself
2. Iowa guy
3. Timing may be right for both parties in the next couple years.

I don't understand why it's hard to understand.

 

[whammer33024]

OK you're selling me. Valid points. But still doesn't explain why most loathed him just because he wasn't a Hawk when coaching Wisky. I mean people were complaining that he was arrogant, an azz, but now he's fine. That just shows how bipolar we are on these sites.

while i agree with you that fans are bi-polar(i made this comment last week), this situation is different. of course we hate a guy who coaches another team that continually beats us, especially when that team should have the same "disadvantages" iowa has. i'd say it was more jealousy than anything.

i'll throw this out there...i'd absolutely hate aaron white if he played for any other team than iowa

 

[KnightHawk26]

Me too. Question for you.
Iowa can't recruit great "skill players" but Wisconsin can? Why?

Have you watched the offense? Kirk doesn't believe in flash.

 

[tweeterhawk]

I could have swore 4 yrs ago, most posters loathed the guy & called him a big fat overweight toad. Now, everyone seems to think he has to be the next head coach. I personally was never into the guy & didn't like the way he ran his personal life around Madison. Maybe I was wrong. I just can't believe how back then most couldn't stand the guy and now he's the best thing since sliced bread. Which is it? Are people on here just a bunch of hypocrites?

I was among those who loathed BB a few years ago, mainly because he was the coach of a BoneG opponent who pretty regularly outcoached Iowa's braintrust and who yet repeatedly denies his Hawkeye roots.

I would take him as the next Iowa coach in a heartbeat. He knows how to recruit to the Midwest or to lower "name" schools, his teams play tough, hard-nosed football, he's not afraid to change when something's not working or to try a trick play that catches the opponent completely flat-footed and he would have no problem at all beating and running up the score on an inferior opponent (read Iowa State.) He also seems to run a pretty clean program.

Plus there could be worse things than the TV cameras repeatedly panning to Jen Bielema in the Kinnick Stadium stands.

 

[SteveGarvey]

Some of it's psychological. The unemotional, closed, button-downed approach from Kirk is wearing thin. Biels is opposite of that and that appeals to our sub-conscience.

 

[hockalot]

I could have swore 4 yrs ago, most posters loathed the guy & called him a big fat overweight toad. Now, everyone seems to think he has to be the next head coach. I personally was never into the guy & didn't like the way he ran his personal life around Madison. Maybe I was wrong. I just can't believe how back then most couldn't stand the guy and now he's the best thing since sliced bread. Which is it? Are people on here just a bunch of hypocrites?

Not me. He is a big fat overweight repulsive low IQ toad. Let nebby have him.

 

[hawkinn3]

Bret has won a total of 2 conference games at Arkansas in 2 years.
This is who you want for a replacement?

Arkansas would of easily won the BIG WEST this year, easily. Its all relative, he is in the toughest division in college football.

 

[hawkinn3]

I will also admit that part of me wants him as HC under the belief that he wants to be here. This guy was (is?) a die hard hawkeye. If he wants no part of coming back to Iowa, so be it. But I think he would jump at the chance to come back. What would any of us do to make the hawkeyes a great team in discussion for NCs? Imagine if you were a coach who could actually do it, that is Bielema. I feel the same way about Stoops but he won't ever leave Oklahoma, they have said they won't let him go and will pay him more than anyone else will.

 

[LG210]

Biels doesn't have a scapegoat one liner quote yet. So he's lacking in that dept.

Sure he does. It's: "On Wisconsin."

 

[ColoradoHAWKEYE]

He's part of "the tree"....and he is good. He would be ISUs worst nightmare hire. He's still relatively young and he coaches "hungry" and smart.

 

[MiniMoeHawk]

Don't forget the Tiger Hawk tattoo.

and the eye candy on his arm