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Bret Bielema: ‘If I feel a player needs to play, I’ll come in and say it’
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Arkansas’ defense was struggling big-time, particularly against the run.
After a 4-1 start to the season, the Hogs dropped two of three, allowing 135 combined points and 957 total rushing yards against Alabama, Ole Miss, and Auburn.
Coach Bret Bielema knew he needed to step in and made an adjustment. So he told defensive coordinator Robb Smith to move defensive lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter moving from inside to outside, hoping the change would provide his team with the boost it needed.
Arkansas beat then-No. 11 Florida, 31-10, holding the Gators to 12 yards on the ground.
“One of the things I’ve always done as a head coach is if I feel that a player needs to play, I’ll just come in and say it,” Bielema said after the game. “I’m not going to give a lot of reasons why. I thought Led had done some good things inside, but I saw him getting a lot more activity on the edges, and he was great out there today. I wanted to get Randy Ramsey on the field in base defense.
“Just things I feel. As you guys know, I’m not a guy that stands up here and pats himself on the back, but when s*** needs to happen, I’ve got to make it happen, and that’s what I needed to do, and it’s fun to see your kids respond that way.”
The Razorbacks (6-3, 2-3) can now divert their attention to hosting LSU this weekend.
Tyler Waddell is a member of the Saturday Down South news team. He brings over five years of professional journalism experience and is closing in on a Bachelor's in sports management. Follow him on Twitter (@Tyler_Waddell).
