In February of 2012, then-Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema took a verbal swing at Ohio State (and former Florida) coach Urban Meyer and his ‘crootin’ tactics when he told Matt Hayes of The Sporting News, “I can tell you this: We at the Big Ten don’t want to be like the SEC—in any way, shape or form.”
So, naturally, Bielema left the Badgers to become the head coach of Arkansas less than a year later. Now at his first SEC spring meetings, Bielema has, ahem, “altered” his stance on the SEC a little. When asked about his comments regarding Meyer last year, Bielema clarified “That was about one coach and one instance.”
He also said that “In the Big Ten, we disliked the SEC because of the success they had.”
We have to admit, Bielema’s shown elite backpedal quickness (also, he’s of the “shirts optional, partying mandatory” clan). It’s no wonder he was so heavily recruited by an SEC school.