Bret Bielema does ESPN interview ‘carwash’ on Tuesday

Arkansas head football coach Bret Bielema.

Flyer staff photo

Arkansas football coach Bret Bielema will be put through the sports media wringer again on Tuesday.

Bielema is one of six SEC coaches scheduled to go through ESPN’s “carwash,” a whirlwind series of live appearances and taped interviews that take place throughout the day at the sports network’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut.

Bielema will be joined by Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, Florida’s Will Muschamp, Kentucky’s Mark Stoops, South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier and Tennessee’s Butch Jones.

Expect plenty of questions regarding the mini-feud which took place during last week’s SEC Media Days when Bielema and Malzahn squared off over the safety of fast-paced offenses. Bielema believes an uptempo style of play increases the risk of player injuries, and has proposed a rule change that would slow down hurry-up, no-huddle offenses. Malzahn, often referred to as the “mastermind” behind fast-paced offenses, dismissed Bielema’s belief and said he “thought it was a joke.”

Bielema fired back and told reporters player safety is no laughing matter. “I’m not a comedian,” said Bielema. “There are times when an offensive player and a defensive player are on the field for an extended amount of time without a break. You cannot tell me that a player after play five is the same player that he is after play 15. If that exposes him to a risk of injury, then that’s my fault. I can’t do anything about it because the rules do not allow me to substitute a player in whether I’m on offense or defense.”

UA officials said Bielema would appear live on SportsCenter at 11:40 a.m. and SVP & Rusillo Radio Show at 12:15 p.m. His other appearances will be taped to be used throughout the season on ESPN’s platforms.

Coach Bielema’s ESPN “carwash” schedule

10 a.m. – Digital media
10:40 a.m. – College GameDay
11 a.m. – Highly Questionable
11:40 a.m. – SportsCenter (live)
11:55 a.m. – ITK/Front Row
12:15 p.m. – SVP & Russillo Radio Show (live)
12:30 p.m. – ESPN.com chat
12:55 p.m. – CFB Insider w/ Travis Haney
1:20 p.m. – College Football Live
2:00 p.m. – Coach & Company Radio Show
2:15 p.m. – SC Tonight w/ Freddie Coleman