Sources: Arkansas to Hire Bret Bielema as Head Coach

University of Arkansas will make current Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema their new head coach, according to ESPN.  This comes at an interesting time, as Wisconsin is preparing to face Stanford in the Rose Bowl on January 1st.  The Badgers stunned Nebraska on Saturday to advance to their third-straight Rose Bowl Game.  

Bielema has a winning percentage of .739, which is the highest winning percentage of any coach in Wisconsin history since George Little from 1925-1926. 

This has to be stunning to the Wisconsin faithful, as Bielema posted a 68-24 record as a Badger.  While Wisconsin has been Brett Bielema’s only head coaching position, his work there speaks for itself.

Arkansas fired Bobby Petrino last spring and hired John L. Smith as an interim coach.  The Razorbacks went 4-8 on the year, after starting in the top 10. 

It’ll be a major transition for an Arkansas program that has become accustomed to a spread-it-out attack during the Petrino era and the 2012 campaign.  Bielema will bring a power running game to Arkansas, which has been missing since the days of Darren McFadden. 

Still, Brett Bielema will have his work cut out for him.  With no ties to the South, he will be starting from scratch and will have to hit the recruiting trail right away.

It is unknown if if Bielema will coach the Badgers in the Rose Bowl against Stanford.