THE RECRUITING GUY

Time for Bielema, UA staff to hit road

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema and his team leave the field after a 24-17 overtime loss to Mississippi State Saturday at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema and his team leave the field after a 24-17 overtime loss to Mississippi State Saturday at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

Today marks the first day college coaches can go on the road and make contact in person with recruits.

The contact period ends Feb. 1, and Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and his staff plan to sign 26 prospects with one counting back to the 2013 class.

“The next two months are probably the most crucial two months of Coach Bielema’s tenure as far as getting the right players in here to contribute and help us win a lot of football games this coming season and build this program to where we want to go with it,” Arkansas recruiting coordinator Chris Hauser said.

The Razorbacks have 17 oral commitments, including a quarterback, a running back, two tight ends, three wide receivers and an offensive lineman. The Razorbacks also have pledges from three defensive linemen, two linebackers, three defensive backs and a kicker.

The opportunity for early playing time is one of several selling points for Arkansas’ staff.

“We’re playing 18 freshmen, we have a very young roster, and there’s still more room to place great players in those spots,” Hauser said. “We’ve had a year for this staff to kind of get their feet on the ground and understand where our program is in the SEC and where we need to go.”

Coaches are allowed to make six in-person off-campus visits per prospect but not more than one per week during December and January. Bielema can make off-campus visits like his assistants, but unlike his assistants he is allowed only one in-home visit per recruit.

“This is a time where I think our coaching staff gets to shine,” Hauser said. “It’s one thing to talk to someone over the phone, but it’s a whole different thing to have them sit down in your family or living room and be around your friends and families and community members and have us look you in the eyes and talk to you face-to-face about what we’re about and what Coach Bielema is about, and what this program and university is about.”

Finding immediate help at linebacker and the defensive backfield will be a focus for the Razorbacks staff.

“We definitely have to get some guys for our back seven on defense,” Hauser said. “That’s a must have for us in this class.”

Offensive line coach Sam Pittman also needs to add more linemen.

“We need to get some great young players in here for Coach Pittman to develop,” Hauser said. “Then there’s always those two or three spots whether it’s the No. 1 running back on our board or the No. 1 tight end or No. 1 defensive end. We’ve communicated with those kids and know we’re going to keep those scholarships for them no matter what.”

Arkansas has used 15 of the 56 official visits the NCAA allows each program. Of the 15 visits, the Hogs have hosted 1 five-star prospects, 3 four-star-plus prospects and 4 four star prospects based off rankings compiled by national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network.

The Hogs will have opportunities to host recruits Dec. 6-8, Dec. 13-15, Jan. 17-19, Jan. 24-26 and Jan. 31-Feb. 2.

“Anyone we bring on our campus is a kid we’re 100 percent full go on,” Hauser said. “Coach Bielema isn’t going to bring any kid in that we haven’t offered.”

Sometimes spending time with a prospect during the official visit or other research will change the staff’s opinion.

“For the most part, if we bring a kid in it’s going to be a situation where we want to have him as a part of our football team,” Hauser said. “So whoever that person is, their talent level is to the point where we think they can come in and be an impact player for the 2014 class.”

The new $40 million football complex has aided the Hogs’ recruiting efforts.

In September, the Arkansas Board of Trustees approved three athletic projects, including the Student-Athlete Success Center that is estimated to cost $18 million to $23 million.

“It obviously shows the importance and focus on developing the entire athlete while they’re here,” Hauser said. They’re not just coming in here and playing in a great stadium, it’s also coming here and having a top-notch learning center in the SEC.” Email Richard Davenport at [email protected]

Sports, Pages 24 on 12/01/2013

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