A shocker out of Madison, WI., as head coach Bret Bielema, who just led the Badgers to the Big Ten title with a 70-31 win over the Huskers, has accepted the head coaching position at Arkansas.
Bielema replaces interim coach John L. Smith, who was let go at the end of the season. The Razorbacks went 4-8. The deal is worth six years and $3.2 million annually.
Bielema was 68-24 with the Badgers, including a 17-14 win over Arkansas in the 2007 Capital One Bowl. Click here for more on the story from Wisconsin Radio Network.
Gus Malzahn, the former offensive coordinator for the Auburn Tigers when they won their national championship in 2010, has been hired as the program’s head coach.
Malzahn had great success at Arkansas State this season, leading the Red Wolves to a 9-3 record, the Sun Belt championship and a berth in the GoDaddy.com Bowl next month against Kent State. Arkansas State ranks 17th in the nation in total offense (481.8 yards) and tied for 21st in scoring (36.4).
Malzahn served as Auburn’s offensive coordinator from 2009 to 2011 including 2010 when the Tigers went 14-0, won the 2010 BCS title — the first national title in 53 years for the program — and quarterback Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy.