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LIVE: Bielema press conference

Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema will meet with the media at 3 p.m. Central to discuss the Razorbacks' 2013 signing class.

Hawgs247 is at the Miller Room inside the Broyles Complex and will bring you free, live updates. Click the link below for the latest.

LIVE: Bielema press conference

Robert Turbeville
    • Suits and assistant coaches starting to file in, with the assistants in anthracite sweats.

      And here's Bielema ...

      R Turbeville

    • There will be no comments on Collins, obviously, since he's unsigned.

      Bielema says geographic recruiting areas will be assigned later. This class based on relationships.

      Bielema praises Chris Hauser for laying out a plan that was adjusting by the day.

      First and foremost, BB says they had to have athletes that would fit in the state of Arkansas. "They've got to believe in the family."

      R Turbeville

    • Says he wants recruits who believe in winning. If you accept losing, it creeps into every area of your life.

      He's going to run through each signee now with video of each player.

      Calls Austin Allen the hometown hero. Talks about how he delivers the ball on time and in rhythm.

      On Tevin Beanum, loves his motor, ability to play fast. Long arms, good range, ability to make plays.

      This post was edited by R Turbeville on 2/6/2013 at 3:01 PM

      R Turbeville

    • Alex Brignoni -- very exciting. Can play a lot of different positions. Will start at safety. BB says Alex could grow into linebacker.

      De'Andre Coley -- Has no fear, great instincts, great speed. Said he was a fit for the Hogs. Very athletic.

      R Turbeville

    • D.J. Dean -- One of biggest priorities moving forward, BB says, will be to establish a Hog presence in north Texas and east Texas. He'll start on defense but will also work punt return and kick return.

      R Turbeville

    • Brooks Ellis -- really excited about him, BB says. Says Hogs are in his DNA. Has natural linebacker instinct.

      R Turbeville

    • Denzell Evans -- felt important sign two RBs in this class. Has good vision. Great with ball security. A powerful runner. Shocked how thick he was.

      Melvinson Hartfield -- Came on radar late. Said Hartfield didn't want to visit, but they kept urging in and he did. Makes people miss and is very gifted. Might run track here. Said he might play a little on defense as well once he gets comfortable with everything.

      R Turbeville

    • Is this online anywhere we can watch?

      bulldog1594

    • Hunter Henry -- Loves the way he approaches everything. Very athletic, gifted. Not afraid of contact.

      Irwin-Hill -- BB's first international player. Said he Skyped with his mom yesterday. Very entertaining conversation. Shows him punting with his right foot. Showing some pooch punts, rugby punt. He can punt with either foot, and can kick PATs and FGs.

      Denver Kirkland -- Said very impressed with ability and size. Great kid, too. He gets locked onto you, you're in trouble. Said he could play all four positions up front.

      Reeve Koehler -- Excited cause unbelievable football player. Wide, thick, powerful. Also could open in-roads into Hawaii.

      R Turbeville

    • Ke'Tyrus Marks -- last player recruited by BB out of Suncoast was Devin Hester. Very gifted and powerful. Shows ability to use hands, flex hips. Can move very quick. Very explosive.

      R Turbeville

    • Korliss Marshall -- Going to start him at safety. Has ability to play a few different positions. Ceiling off the charts.

      Damon Mitchell -- prefers to go by Duwop. Only played QB for two years, but excited about potential and upside.

      Drew Morgan -- Love that he won a lot of football games. Not a more energetic, eager kid in this class, BB says. Explosive player who can get down the field. Plays with a lot of attitude and energy. BB says "his games are pretty much nonstop highlight reels."

      Dan Skpper -- Truly is 6-10. Very athletic and very, very mobile. Engineering major. Incredible kid. Extremely athletic Weighs 300, looks like he weighs 275. BB says sky is limit for him.

      TQ Coleman -- When BB made the switch to Arkansas, he was hoping TQ would reach out to them. And he did. Very, very compact to the ground. Plays low quite a bit. Will get him to use hands more here at Arkansas.

      R Turbeville

    • bulldog1594 said...

      Is this online anywhere we can watch?

      www.arkansasrazorbacks.com

      arkiehawg

    • John McClure -- Will play guard at UA. Was tackle in JUCO. Trim him up and has a chance to give immediate depth on the O-line. At one point was at 350, trimmed down to 300 and has built his body back up. BB thinks he will really benefit from being here in January.

      Martrell Spaight -- Loves that he wanted to be a Hog. Had to do extra things just to be here. Very explosive. Likes contact. Multitalented. Exceptional kid. Hoping he'll be a pipeline into NLR and LR for years to come. Truly special, special kid.

      Myke Tavarres -- Says media will love him. Not afraid to talk, but good thing is he'll back it up. Really athletic kid has a chance to get on field and help immediately.

      Carroll Washington -- Extremely talented corner. Great ball skills, BB says. Has ability to do different things. Has exceptional cover skills.

      R Turbeville

    • That's all of the signees.

      R Turbeville

    • BB says he didn't want to take kids just to take them. Says he's eying some other kids at SEC teams that have too many kids committed. Said they have some things cooking there.

      BB asked about surprises on signing day and how he handles them. Said it's a day where you have to adjust and adapt. Good coaches are prepared for different scenarios. Said they've always been ahead of the game.

      R Turbeville

    • On finding out Denver's decision -- BB has known Randy Shannon for a number of years. One of the things that came up quickly with Sam Pittman and Jim Chaney before they hired Randy was Denver. He jumped out to them. Brought in Shannon and had Shannon and Pittman recruit the kid. Had great in-home on Tuesday before visit. Mom didn't want to come on the visit, but she said she'd come. Said on the Saturday of official visit, his mom was grinning from ear to ear. Player panel really impressed her. Players talked about how they had seen things change with the new staff, and that won the mom over.

      Said it got intense and Coach Pittman and Coach Shannon aged about 10 years from the stress.

      R Turbeville

    • BB says he's not going to build up anybody. Have 5-stars and 2-stars, but they're going to turn them into the young men they can be. What happens in four years from now will be the proof in the pudding.

      R Turbeville

    • On the O-line: He thinks it's important to build from the ground up with OL and DL. He loves to concentrate on guys who make it happen up front. Went out numerous offensive linemen. Not too many DL recruited cause likes what he already has.

      R Turbeville

    • On RB situation -- He always signed one RB every year. If recruit one great one every year you can have five great ones on your roster. This year felt the need to get two.

      On last three spots in the class -- Going after best available. Says if you've got 37 kids committed you can only sign 25, there's going to be somebody unhappy. (Sounds like another reference to A&M to me.) Says he won't get a lot of commitments like some schools. Doesn't feel that's fair to kids. Doesn't want to be that guy who wrecks someone's life.

      R Turbeville

    • A few recruiting territories -- Pittman in Oklahoma. Lunney in Arkansas. Thomas in Texas. Smith in Texas.

      Said they'll recruit SEC areas and will hit Texas hard. Hit border states hard. But will also go in non-traditional areas, places he's had success. Such as Wisconsin, Chicago, Cincinnati, New Jersey, West Coast and Seattle. Very apparent to BB early in this job that people love the SEC.

      R Turbeville

    • On what he's heard and seen in off-season -- seen guys change right in front of his eyes through conditioning and diet.

      R Turbeville

    • On the three Fayetteville kids -- BB had never signed 3 kids from 1 school in the same class.

      R Turbeville

    • Says 3 Musketeers will be guys we'll be hearing about for a long time.

      R Turbeville

    • Said in recruiting he leaned on the 3 Fayetteville kids because they loved the Hogs. He was in constant contact with them. He hit them up right away about recruiting other guys. And Hunter did a good job recruiting for the Hogs once he reaffirmed his commitment. Said he bets Drew Morgan wore out the phone trying to get other people to come here.

      R Turbeville

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