Bret Bielema NWA Touchdown Luncheon Recap

Bret Bielema met with the media prior to speaking at today’s Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club luncheon. The head coach offered up some news regarding transfers, QB2 and also made a lot of people #mad #online. It was a full day.

The biggest news to come from the event was Bielema naming former Charleston High quarterback Ty Storey as Austin Allen’s backup. It was very clear, especially last week, he and Cole Kelley were the two in contention for the job, but Storey made all the right impressions and Bielema and Dan Enos have their guy at No. 2.

Bielema said Rafe Peavey met with him Sunday and laid out his interest in transferring out of the program. The coach threw out the idea of him sticking it out for another year, but Peavey declined. He is set to graduate soon, so if he had hung around and graduated, he would have been eligible to play immediately at his school of choice next fall. As we learned last night – and honestly saw coming for a while – he’s out and headed to SMU.

In other transfer news, defensive back Cornelius Floyd has expressed interest in a transfer, and Ke’Tyrus Marks has left for Samford. So, with scholarship players transferring out, Bielema said he plans to hand out a few scholarships to walk-on players. Randy Ramsey was the first of the walk-ons – after being dismissed – to receive one earlier in the year.

As we noted last weekend, Keon Hatcher, Devwah Whaley and Anthony Antwine were all in non-contact green jerseys in the scrimmage. Now, Bielema says all three are good to go and available for full contact. Kody Walker, who is still nursing a bit of a nag in his foot, will not get as much work going forward only because the coaches are pleased with him and he has experience some of the other backs don’t.

Dominique Reed, DJ Dean, Jalen Merrick and Austin Cantrell (dealing with injuries) finally practiced today, as well as T.J. Hammonds. Reed, Hammonds and a number of other guys, including Deon Stewart and Jordan Jones, were also mentioned as options on kickoff return.

And now to the fun stuff. Reading Twitter during the luncheon, several media members remarked at how well Bielema was doing with the crowd this late into “talking season.” Well, the coach gave one last (maybe?) jab before the season gets going.

As you might imagine, it didn’t sit well with some people online, but what’s new. Bielema’s mentions after the tweet came out haven’t been the cleanest or most SFW. But I can understand where his remark stems from. The Michigan game, as he said at SEC Media Days, is a “sexy” game to him, and he also wanted a little revenge, I’m sure, from his time at Wisconsin when the only loss he suffered one season was to the Michigan.

While many may not have liked it, some of the national media ate it up.

Thank the Lord football season is almost here.