Bret Bielema: Perceived animosity with Gus Malzahn overstated

DESTIN, Fla. -- What feud?

Bret Bielema said the perception of a contentious relationship between Gus Malzahn and himself is overblown.

"I didn't really know Gus before last year," the Arkansas coach said Tuesday morning at the Sandestin Hilton during the first day of the SEC Spring Meetings. "We talked after the game and just kind had a mutual respect of: I like how you do your business. It's probably played up a little bit more than it needed to be."

Of course Bielema played a large role in the notion of a feud with Malzahn.

During last year's SEC Media Days Bielema referred to his pro-style of play as "Normal American Football," and he and Malzahn exchanged stances regarding player safety and whether up-tempo offenses are a danger to the health of players.

In the week leading up to the Nov. 2 meeting, there was the swinging gate-gate video controversy after Bielema accused Auburn of doctoring a game tape to omit a two-point conversion play. Arkansas then ran the swinging gate formation during the game, which Auburn won 35-17.

Then came the controversial 10-second rule debate in the spring, which Bielema was a central figure in proposing. In February he cited "death certificates" as evidence for his stance and raised the possibility of players "flopping on the ground" as a means of slowing a team down, alluding to Anthony Swain's "fake" injury during the game with the Tigers.

Bielema reiterated his stance that player safety is his chief concern, not an opposition to up-tempo offenses.

"I love up-tempo offenses," he said. "I love going against them. I love competing against them. I respect coaches that believe in that system because it so much different than mine.

"I don't have agendas. I have one agenda: Player safety."

After a very successful career at Wisconsin, Bielema struggled mightily at Arkansas last season, finishing 3-9 and winless in SEC play.

He's cited a lack of talent at offensive skill positions as a reason for his difficult first year.

Malzahn was a pioneer as an Arkansas high school football coach and his Hurry-Up, No-Huddle philosophy is widespread across the state. Bielema was not entirely aware of Malzahn's past at Hughes, Shiloh Christian and Springdale - the latter two being powerhouses in the Northwest region of the state near Fayetteville.

"It's no different than anywhere else," Bielema said of the popularity of up-tempo offenses at Arkansas high school. "They may think he invented it there, but it was going on in a lot of other places."

Auburn hosts Arkansas on Aug. 30 in the second meeting of Malzahn and Bielema. The second-year Razorbacks coach did refer to the reigning SEC Champions as a "tremendous" football team and said his squad is already focused on their season-opening foe.

"I think our guys are fired up to play Auburn. They don't need me or Gus involved," Bielema said. "There are so many kids that play on both teams, friends and obviously there was a couple coaches on his staff with ties to Arkansas. I don't think it has anything to do with who the head coach is as much as people think. It's more of Auburn and Arkansas should be a big game."