MEMPHIS -- Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema teased a tweak to the Razorbacks' gear for today's Liberty Bowl game against Kansas State.
Bielema, in his opening remarks at Friday's final news conference, said, "We've got a uniform change coming. The players were pretty pumped when I showed them that last night."
When a reporter later asked Bielema for a description of the change since he "broke the news of the jersey change," Bielema made a correction.
"I didn't say jerseys," he said. "Don't be putting words in my mouth. I'm going to keep you guessing.
"We dabbled around with the helmet. I'll give you a little teaser on that, all right?"
The Razorbacks are expected to be in white jerseys even though they're the home team, so there is speculation the helmets might be white.
Curfew call
Neither head coach announced any suspensions for today's game, saying curfews for New Year's Eve on Thursday night seemed to be met.
"Well, they were all in by 6 this morning," Kansas State Coach Bill Snyder said, eliciting laughs at his early afternoon news conference Friday. "Yes, they were fine."
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said the program arranged for a couple of comedians to entertain the team on New Year's Eve, and the players mainly stayed inside their hotel, The Peabody.
"We were 100 percent on curfew all week, and as far as we know no one snuck out on us," Bielema said.
Carried away
The Arkansas seniors were carried off the practice field at Rhodes College by their teammates after Thursday's final practice of the season, Bret Bielema said.
The best sight of the day: 320-pound guard Sebastian Tretola being hoisted by underclassmen.
"Tretola got carried off by like eight little freshmen," Bielema said. "He looked like an Egyptian warrior getting carried off the field. He was relishing that moment pretty good.
"We almost dropped B.A. [Brandon Allen], so we might cancel that policy from here on out, or look into who's carrying him."
Snyder's plan
Kansas State Coach Bill Snyder, 76, said he has no intention to retire after the game, but he won't make a final decision until consulting with his family. He said that's been his process since coming out of his first retirement for his second stint at Kansas State's coach in 2009.
"Nothing's changed," Snyder said. "It's the same as it was five years ago, four years ago, three years ago."
Bret Bielema said he has mixed emotions about the possibility of Snyder retiring.
"I would say that I would be sad because he's done so much for the game, but I also want him to enjoy life," Bielema said. "He looks great, man. The man does not age. I just want Coach to be happy."
Bielema's plan
Bret Bielema said he and his wife, Jen, would remain in Memphis for a couple of extra days after today's game.
After that, he'll be making trips to talk to running back Alex Collins and offensive tackle Denver Kirkland to discuss their options on whether to return for their senior years or declare for the NFL Draft. Bielema said he also expected to hear from tight end Hunter Henry about his decision within a couple of days of the bowl game.
Power freak
Bret Bielema said the first time he flew on a private plane was as a Kansas State assistant during a recruiting trip to California with Coach Bill Snyder.
"When we went over the mountains, the plane started bouncing around pretty good, but Coach just kept writing with that purple marker," Bielema said. "Finally, it got real bumpy and he grabbed the plane seat and looked at the pilots and said, 'Calm this down!' Like they had any control over it. That's when I realized he was a real power freak. In a good way, though."
Running late
Asked whether he had made any New Year's resolutions, Bill Snyder said, "I'm looking at today and tomorrow. I haven't thought about it.
"I haven't made any New Year's resolutions. In fact, New Year's kind of passed me by. That's normally the case when you get involved in a bowl scenario. I don't fret about it. I'm always a day late or several days late on those types of things. I haven't even gotten to Christmas yet, so I'll work on that after a while."
Thorough scouting
Bret Bielema said that when he was an assistant at Kansas State for Bill Snyder it was common for the staff to do scouting reports on nonconference opponents in the spring and summer, during fall camp and then one last time for the game week.
"I always say that Coach Snyder was the guy I learned the theory of leaving no stone unturned and then go turn them over again," Bielema said. "He's a meticulous detail guy."
Bielema said at first doing the scouting reports was intriguing, but then they became a little monotonous. One summer, Bielema and another assistant decided to play a joke on Snyder when he was vacationing on a cruise ship while his staff was doing a report.
"We found out it was $1.25 for every sheet we faxed him onboard the ship," Bielema said. "So we faxed him 150 sheets to give him a little jab. I thought we'd hear about it when he got back, but we never did. Fifty pages were blank."
Fashion statement
Whenever Bill Snyder has appeared at a Liberty Bowl function this week or met with the media, he's worn a coat and tie.
"Coach Snyder is always business ready," said Kody Cook, who plays receiver and quarterback for Kansas State. "He's always in a suit. You very rarely see him in anything else.
"If you do, then he's on the practice field in his jumpsuit. He's a business guy, and that's the attitude we take into everything we do."
Snyder's dress code is in sharp contrast to Bret Bielema, his former assistant coach who at Arkansas is known for wearing sweatsuits and flip-flops.
"When Bret was with us, he had on this blazer and he had on a tie," Snyder said, smiling and pulling on the lapel of his blue jacket. "I think it was a struggle for him then, so now he's in his own element. He's a casual guy, but he's a very talented football coach and a very good person."
Bielema did wear a blue blazer to Friday's news conference when he posed with Snyder for pictures.
Snyder's rib
Bill Snyder has resisted the temptation to indulge in Memphis barbecue this week.
"I've had one rib since I've been here," he said. "Not the slab, just one rib. My wife brought me home a leftover."
Bret Bielema was surprised to hear Snyder had even one rib.
"Coach Snyder doesn't need food," Bielema said. "He's the only man who lives on coffee."
All shook up
Bret Bielema and Bill Snyder both were asked whether they preferred the younger Elvis Presley or the older version.
"I'd say all Elvis is good Elvis," Bielema said.
Snyder said he likes listening to Presley's songs but not watching video of him.
"I think he was a great entertainer," Snyder said. "I still enjoy his music. I've got a collection of Elvis 45s. They made that in 1920, I think."
Wait and see
Bill Snyder declined to say who will start at quarterback for Kansas State against Arkansas.
"I'll tell you [today]," he said. "After the game."
Sports on 01/02/2016