FAYETTEVILLE -- Never mind that his own shimmering shoes set him apart like a rhinestone cowboy amid undertakers.
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema savored his three accompanying seniors dressing like identical triplets in their session of SEC football media days at Hoover, Ala.
Quarterback Brandon Allen, running back Jonathan Williams and receiver Keon Hatcher matched suits like their matching game uniforms.
Bielema loved it. Especially since the coach didn't request they match.
Bielema explained it all to last Wednesday's assembly of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette advertisers.
First, he described the typical player's approach to media days. It's the approach that Bielema exemplified with those shimmering shoes, his playful Nike rebuttal to Mississippi State Coach Dan Mullen and his gaudy adidas shoes.
"Usually, it's about who is going to look different and stand apart from the rest," Bielema said.
NCAA rules allow schools to purchase, within reason, suits for players representing their school at major occasions like conference media days.
"We took them to a local store where if you buy two, you get a second one free," Bielema said. "Brett Brecheisen, our communications director, took them."
Soon Brett phoned Bret.
"He said, 'Coach, a really cool thing happened,' " Bielema said. " 'Your three kids all bought the same suits, the same shoes, same belt and same pocket handkerchief. They said they all wanted to look the same.' "
Three senior skill position players even dressing on the same page.
"I thought, 'Whoa!' " Bielema said. "On a day they can be on their own and buy anything they want, they all want to be the same. That's when I said, 'We've got something!' "
The maximum three players Bielema could bring -- and players like running back Alex Collins, tight end Hunter Henry, center Mitch Smothers, guards Sebastian Tretola and Frank Ragnow, and tackles Denver Kirkland and Dan Skipper -- were the SEC talk of Arkansas' media day sessions.
However, Bielema asserted, it was defense that allowed the Hogs to go from a 3-9 team in 2013 to 7-6 in 2014 with shutouts over LSU and Ole Miss.
"The impact was immediate," Bielema said about 2014 new defensive coordinator Robb Smith, and fellow 2014 defensive assistants Clay Jennings (secondary) and Rory Segrest (defensive line).
Bielema explained.
"Robb brought in a philosophy that allowed us to play very simple," he said. "It allowed them to play a lot faster, a lot more aggressively. The No. 1 thing our players became is confident. That began to reflect in how they played and they got better and better in every game."
The confidence continues Bielema said. Even with the departures of defensive stars Martrell Spaight, Trey Flowers and Darius Philon, the 2015 Arkansas defense arrives more "Bad News Bears" than big-name heralded.
Sports on 07/25/2015