Behind the scenes with Bret Bielema: UA staff crams in a full day

Coach Bret Bielema and assistant Barry Lunney Jr. look on during Arkansas football practice on Saturday, April 15, 2017, at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
Coach Bret Bielema and assistant Barry Lunney Jr. look on during Arkansas football practice on Saturday, April 15, 2017, at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette recruiting writer Richard Davenport received inside access to the work of Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and staff during a four-day period from Wednesday, April 12 through Saturday, April, 15. Here's his report from Thursday, April 13. Davenport will write on other aspects of his experience in his column, The Recruiting Guy, which appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Taylor Reed hasn't always been a coffee drinker.

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Now, as a graduate assistant for Arkansas Razorbacks Coach Bret Bielema, Reed has learned a strong dose of coffee can help energize him for the long, demanding days college coaches endure as he tries to climb the ranks in the profession.

Reed, for one, takes his responsibilities seriously.

On this morning, Reed brings Bielema two-thirds of a cup of what the graduate assistant calls a four-bagger -- twice as stout as regular -- then partakes himself, along with offensive coordinator Dan Enos.

For Reed, a former El Dorado High School quarterback, and the rest of the Arkansas coaches and support staff, loading up on caffeine is one way to keep pace with Bielema, and that is as important as the ability to deal with players and parents, recruiting and breaking down film.

A typical spring day for the Arkansas coaching staff can seem never ending. Bielema, who arrives at the Fred W. Smith Football Center around 6:45 a.m., likes to come into the office early because the distractions are fewer as he starts the day that will last approximately 15 hours.

An inside look at the program was a chance to see the many hats Bielema wears in the course of a day, the nonstop emphasis he and the staff places on recruiting, academics, and player development in addition to normal football activity.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Bielema allows all assistants to come into the office at 9 a.m so the coaches with children can take them to school.

For Bielema, whose wife Jen is expecting the couple's first child in July, the workday starts more than two hours earlier:

6:45 A.M.

Bielema starts in on recruiting, and that includes phone calls to three high schools coaches in preparation of the Razorbacks coaching staff going on the road to recruit on Monday for the spring elevation period that ends May 31.

7:08 A.M-8:05 A.M.

Bielema receives a text from a player about a family emergency, then goes over his schedule with an administrative assistant. At lunch, Bielema will be eating at the training table of the football complex with a group that bid on the opportunity at a charity auction. Bielema usually has six to seven such luncheons each spring.

8:15 A.M.-8:20 A.M.

Bielema calls a player's parent about a family issue and discusses how the player is coping. The player went home for the weekend with Bielema's blessing. Director of recruiting E.K. Franks enters Bielema's office to go over details about coaches going on the road for recruiting on Monday. The discussion involves in-state, Florida and St. Louis stops. Franks and Bielema also discuss a prospect from Dallas that starts an unofficial visit at 11 a.m.

8:28 A.M.-8:58 A.M.

Bielema enters the staff conference room through an adjourning door to his office for the weekly bible study led by Cross Church teaching pastor Nick Floyd of Fayetteville. Floyd's message is titled "Walk Worthy" based out of the book of Ephesians, which focuses on humility and gentleness along with the negative effects of too much pride and arrogance. Afterward, Floyd invites the coaches to Easter services on Sunday.

9:00 A.M.-9:25 A.M.

Coaches depart for their offices to work on e-mails, practice preparation and recruiting. Later, defensive and offensive staffs meet in their particular conference rooms.

9:27 A.M.-10:35 A.M.

The staff meeting is about to start, but before it does, Bielema and the other coaches write messages to a prospect, his parents and coach. Note cards to write on were in place on the table before the coaches entered the room. Bielema jokes with an assistant about missing bible study. Each coach has an itinerary of the meeting.

Bielema and an assistant talk about a prospect visiting the University of Texas on Saturday and the assistant talks about plans for the recruit to visit for the Hogs' spring game on April 29.

Director of athletic training Matt Summers gives a rundown on several players and their injuries and status for practice and Saturday's scrimmage. The report lasts about five minutes and covers about 15 players that have mostly minor injuries.

Three members of the academic staff give updates on the 105-man roster. Bielema asks several in-depth questions about where several of the players stand and what's needed for improvement. Bielema asks an assistant to get a mother involved with her son's academics because she's a no-nonsense type of person. Bielema also asks to get a former high school teacher of a player involved in order to get his attention.

Bielema briefs the staff on the prospect and parents who are in for a visit. He also talks to an offensive assistant about his travels to St. Louis on the Hogs' first day of spring evaluation. Bielema discusses prospects with two defensive assistants and one offensive assistant. He talks to one of the defensive assistants about visiting schools in South Florida and the possibility of some schools being closed on Monday. Bielema and an assistant discuss a prospect that has moved from south Florida to Minnesota.

Bielema, along with the offensive and defensive staffs, talked to prospects through video chat on Wednesday. Bielema comments that all of the defensive recruits sent direct messages to him on Twitter after the video chat.

The discussion turns to several Texas prospects visiting the Hogs for Saturday's scrimmage. The coaches also talked about a player from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, who is already committed, visiting for the weekend.

Bielema gives confirmation that longtime NFL reporter and ESPN analyst Chris Mortensen will talk to the team on Monday about building a brand and his involvement in the last 27 NFL Drafts.

Bielema praises the work of the graduate assistants as he ends the meeting at 10:35.

10:36 A.M.-11:45 A.M.

Assistants go back to their offices to catch up on emails, prepare for practice, watch video of recruits and previous practices and direct message prospects on Twitter. Players occasionally drop by to visit. Bielema speaks to the visiting recruit and his family until about 11 a.m.

Bielema finalizes the plans for the assistant coaches going on the road for spring evaluation. Bielema was interviewed by Chicago Tribune columnist Teddy Greenstein for about 15 minutes on the proposed NCAA legislation to be voted on Friday. The Division I council passed early signing day in December, spring official visits, the hiring of the 10th assistant in 2018 were the more high profile proposals that passed.

NOON- 1:15 P.M.

Bielema has lunch with the fan who had the winning bid at a charity event and six of the fan's friends.

1:30 P.M.-2:20 P.M.

Bielema and Ben Herbert discuss the last two weeks of spring ball and how players are responding to training and recovery. Herbert, the strength and conditioning coach, later addresses the team about nutrition and how players need to track their meals.

Assistant athletic director of football operations Mark Taurisani has a meeting with Bielema about how Friday's NCAA vote on early official visits, early signing period, and the hiring of a 10th assistant coach could impact Arkansas' budget.

2:20 P.M.-2:55 P.M.

Bielema finalizes times and costs for this summer's football camps. A new camp called The Trench Hogs will focus on offensive and defensive linemen and will feature former Hogs Travis Swanson, Sebastian Tretola, Trey Flowers and Robert Thomas, who are now in the NFL. Bielema also is in discussions about conducting satellite camps in Detroit, New Orleans, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and South Florida.

Bielema cancels appointments with a former student-athlete and a current player to console a player who came to him after receiving news of his grandmother's death. Bielema spoke and listened for about 30 minutes and urged him to attend the funeral.

2:58 P.M.-3:58 P.M.

Bielema stops by the quarterback room and cracks a few jokes before heading to the special teams room to conduct a meeting with the three players who line up behind the line of scrimmage to provide shield protection for the punter. Bielema starts the meeting and reviews video and corrects mistakes made in an earlier practice.

Offensive coordinator Dan Enos and defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads go over plans for that day's practice with their players. Enos tells the players part of practice will be devoted to the two-minute offense and points out that the Razorbacks had 12 drives in the last two minutes of each half in the past two seasons.

In position meetings, offensive line coach Kurt Anderson, unhappy with Tuesday's effort, instructs All-American center Frank Ragnow to fire up the line. The offensive line room erupts with the linemen chanting "Juice!! Juice!! Juice!!" for two minutes before the line heads to the locker room to get ready for practice.

4:08 P.M.-4:25 P.M.

The team gathers in the indoor facility for warmups and stretching before heading outside to begin practice on the turf and grass fields. Bielema talks to several high school coaches who have come to watch practice.

Bielema is involved with all parts of practice, while taking time to visit academic staff membersa and spending about 10 minutes with the visiting recruit and his family. Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long also makes an appearance and speaks with the prospect and family.

6:17 P.M.

Practice ends. Bielema addresses the team at the center of the grass field. Assistant athletic director of communications Patrick Pierson goes over media obligations for some of the assistant coaches. The team breaks up and closes out for a meeting with their position coach.

6:30 P.M.

The training table for players and coaches opens inside the Fred W. Smith football center. A local restaurant is catering gyros with chicken, lamb or beef along with asparagus, roasted potatoes, rice, hummus, soft pita bread, baked pita chips, tomato chutney and a specialty sauce. Some players choose to eat there while others take a to-go order for a tutoring session, study hall or other academic appointment.

6:45 P.M.

Bielema calls his wife Jen to check in with her. Afterward, he watches practice video, which provides front, back and side views of every play. He allows his assistants to leave after practice, then has them watch the video of the practice before the 10 a.m staff meeting.

8:53 P.M.-8:59 P.M.

Reggae music plays in the background as Bielema calls director of video Matthew Engelbert and leaves a message about an issue. Engelbert calls back less than five minutes later to discuss Bielema's concern.

9:05 P.M.-9:15 P.M.

Bielema takes a shower, turns out the office lights and heads home.

Sports on 04/23/2017

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