Bret Bielema had a small chance of returning as Arkansas head coach in 2018. That entire smidgen of hope was being carried by athletics director Jeff Long, who repeatedly stated his confidence in Bielema and said things like they're not a "win-at-all-cost" program.
That smidgen of hope is now gone. Long was fired on Wednesday.
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Long's dismissal all but guarantees that Bielema will not return for a sixth season in Fayetteville. The 47-year-old former Wisconsin head coach enters their final two regular-season games with a 29-32 record. He will finish outside the top three in the SEC West and fail to win more than three conference games for a fourth time.
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Meanwhile, his former employer is ranked No. 5 in the College Football Playoff standings and is likely three wins away from a playoff berth. Might we call that #karma?
Once Bielema is fired, where might he land? Back in the Big Ten? An FBS assistant job? Here are five potential options.
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Texas Tech
Position: Head Coach or Defensive Coordinator
If Kliff Kingsbury survives another unsatisfactory season, he must make changes on defense, where coordinator David Gibbs has been given three years to fix a miserable unit.
The Red Raiders rank 100th or worse nationally in most defensive categories, including yards (113th) and points per game (105th) and third-down defense (107th). While Gibbs has built a unit that can generate turnovers and apply pressure, it's not good enough to compete in the Big 12.
Bielema was defensive coordinator at Kansas State (2002-03) and Wisconsin (2004-05) before becoming a head coach. Who knows if he can — or would be willing to go back — but it's an intriguing fit at a desperate program.
If Kingsbury does not return, might athletics director Kirby Hocutt be interested in Bielema as head coach?
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UCF
Position: Head Coach
It would be shocking if Scott Frost returned for another season at UCF. His stock will never be higher, and job at his alma mater should be open, along with attractive opportunities elsewhere.
Bielema has never coached in or near Florida but has recruited extensively in the state. Arkansas' roster has featured 10 more Florida natives each of the last four seasons and their staff is currently chasing dozens of 2018 and 2019 prospects from the Sunshine State.
Hiring a young, up-and-coming Power Five coordinator worked well for the Knights two years ago, so would they prefer that route over a failed SEC head coach?
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Nebraska
Position: Head Coach
This will be a popular suggestion in the coming days. If Nebraska can't get Scott Frost to come home, might the Huskers look to bring Bret Bielema back to the Big Ten?
New athletics director Bill Moos opted for 51-year-old Mike Leach at Washington State over of a young coordinator or Group of Five head coach. While that's just one instance, he could hit the well again and pick a known commodity with a successful Big Ten résumé over someone younger like Mike Norvell.
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Oregon State
Position: Head Coach
This would be strange. Oregon State hires their fired head coach's predecessor.
Both Bielema and Gary Andersen had similar gripes about the difficulty of getting kids admitted to the university during their time in Madison, and while Andersen had a miserable two-plus-year run in Corvallis, they are entirely different coaches and Andersen's tenure should have no bearing in considering Bielema.
Bielema would undoubtedly be the biggest name that might a call from the Beavers, let alone consider the job. He's never coached west of Kansas and has rarely recruited out there, though it's likely he could build relationships with ease.
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SMU
Position: Head Coach
This is the wild card.
Like Scott Frost at UCF, this is obviously dependent on current SMU head Chad Morris getting a Power Five job, which appears possible, if not likely.
The biggest question here is, would the Mustangs even want Bielema? Or would they prefer another offensive guru with strong ties to the state of Texas?
