Razorback Report

Luncheon kickoff set for Aug. 22

Arkansas head football coach Bret Bielema, right, with his wife Jen Bielema at the Razorback Football Kickoff Luncheon Friday, Aug. 23, 2013 at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale. The event featured the entire football team spread out to the various tables and head football coach Bret Bielema.
Arkansas head football coach Bret Bielema, right, with his wife Jen Bielema at the Razorback Football Kickoff Luncheon Friday, Aug. 23, 2013 at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale. The event featured the entire football team spread out to the various tables and head football coach Bret Bielema.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks football kickoff luncheon will take place Aug. 22 at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale, the university's athletic department announced Monday.

The sixth annual event will feature second-year Coach Bret Bielema, members of the Razorbacks and Athletic Director Jeff Long. The luncheon will be held at noon, with doors opening at 11:15 a.m. Individual tickets are $25 and reserved tables for eight, which include two seats for players or team personnel, are $300.

Tickets can be ordered at ArkansasRazorbacks.com or through the ticket center at 1-800-982-4647.

The Razorbacks open fall camp Aug. 4 and open the season against defending SEC champion Auburn on the road Aug. 30 in a game that will be televised by the SEC Network.

At the Car Wash

Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema will make his appearance on the ESPN "Car Wash" tour today in Bristol, Conn., with interviews on SportsCenter, College Football Live and other ESPN properties, including radio shows.

Bielema will make the annual tour with Alabama's Nick Saban, Florida's Will Muschamp, Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier, Tennessee's Butch Jones and Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin.

The conference's other seven head coaches appeared Monday.

Marshall's status

Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn said Monday during his appearances on the ESPN campus in Bristol, Conn., that his decision on quarterback Nick Marshall's discipline will be made "in a short period of time."

Marshall was cited for marijuana possession July 11 in Georgia and wasn't allowed to attend SEC media days last week. Although Auburn's drug-testing policy does not subject a first-time offender to a mandatory suspension, Malzahn could keep Marshall out of the season opener, which is Aug. 30 against Arkansas.

Malzahn said Monday his decision will likely fall outside the realm of the rulebook, according to al.com.

Coming back

Arkansas defensive end Trey Flowers, speaking last week to reporters at SEC media days about his decision to return for his senior year, was complimentary of Coach Bret Bielema.

"I see where this program is going," Flowers said. "I see the consistency of Coach Bielema, the honesty that he holds himself to. He knows how to win. I understood that.

"So to come back and help the program turn around, seeing how close the program is to turning around, if I can do a little extra to help by coming back, that's why I made this decision."

Wild ride

Offensive tackle Brey Cook has seen his share of twists and turns over the past three seasons at Arkansas, but he told reporters at SEC media days he would have still signed with the Razorbacks if he had known then what he knows now.

"I've loved every second of it," Cook said. "It's been a roller coaster, but it's one I've loved being on."

Cook said Coach Bret Bielema explained his process to the players.

"We understood it would take a while," he said. "We understood it would take some work. That's what we put in last year and over the summer. The whole team has bought into that."

On camera

Brey Cook made sure to document his appearance at SEC media days.

Cook wore glasses fitted with Google Glass for part of his interview time in Hoover, Ala., and he brought along a GoPro mini camera to record bits of the day's activities.

"This is my own personal little project," Cook said. "This is going to be an amazing video. Come google it in a couple of weeks. It's going to be on YouTube or something."

Cook said once the video is ready, it can be found by searching his name online or in a YouTube search.

Sports on 07/22/2014

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