Arkansas coach to open SEC Media Days as a brand new father

FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas Razorbacks Coach Bret Bielema kicks off Monday’s start to the 4-day SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. as the league’s newest father and leading hoarder of tight ends.

It had been touch and go whether Bielema would join LSU’s Ed Orgeron and Tennessee’s Butch Jones on Monday’s program but Jen Bielema giving birth Saturday to daughter Brielle Nichole Bielema frees Bret to fly in and out of Hoover Monday. He was set to be accompanied by the three seniors among the four Razorbacks captains: Center Frank Ragnow of Victoria, Minn. and from Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen of Fayetteville and defensive back Kevin Richardson of Jacksonville.

“Beyond anything @jenbielema & I could ever dream of as parents,” Bret Bielema tweeted Saturday. “Please welcome Brielle Nichole Bielema born 4:44 AM on 7/8/17 weight 7.8 lbs.”

Brielle is the Bielema’s first child.

The latest tight end, Jeremy Patton, recently completed his summer academic requirements at Arizona Western Community College freeing him to report to Fayetteville and start working out with the Razorbacks who have been here throughout the summer.

At most schools Patton, 6-6, 230 rated a 4-star top junior college tight end in the country and coveted by Alabama, Auburn, Oklahoma State, Louisville, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Utah, and Southern California among others, Patton would arrive as an instant starter.

At Arkansas he must stand in line.

Even with Jeremy Sprinkle, the White Hall alum shining in his own tight end light even while 2015 teammate Hunter Henry won the Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end, graduated from the 2016 team and joining Henry in the NFL, Bielema’s 2017 Razorbacks will open preseason drills overflowing half dozen deep with talented tight ends.

Four are lettermen: Thirdyear sophomore Austin Cantrell of Roland, Okla.; two-year letterman junior Jack Kraus, Bentonville; thirdyear sophomore Cheyenne O’Grady of Fayetteville; sophomore Grayson Gunter of Madison, Miss.; plus Patton and third-year sophomore Will Gragg of Dumas. Though Gragg, redshirted in 2015, never saw the field while running scout team in 2016, he was rated a 4-star out of high school and was as highly sought for 2015 as Patton was for 2017.

Bielema, tight ends coach Barry Lunney and offensive coordinator Dan Enos have spoken highly of all of them during various stages of their careers including Gragg last spring.

If all are as promising as the Arkansas coaches say, it seems they are ridiculously overstocked at tight end.

But Bielema counters that in his offense, you are never overstocked with tight ends.

And there is no Arkansas position built more for allround special teams combination of size and speed than Bielema’s tight ends, all running well and ranging from 6-4 to 6-6 height and 230 to 269 in weight.

Between special teams and all the two tight ends sets plus versatile tight ends playing fullback or H-back, there is no shortage of work to be divvied among the half dozen.

Particularly if any would redshirt. Kraus, Cantrell, O’Grady and Gragg have redshirted already but Patton and Gunter have not.

Obviously Bielema didn’t recruit JC transfer to Patton to redshirt but does have that security blanket should Patton get injured in the preseason or early-season.

Coming off shoulder surgery that made him miss all spring ball makes Gunter a redshirt possibility with so much tight end depth.

However starting last August it appeared Gunter would be a bet to redshirt.

Instead he played all 13 games on special teams and caught a big 29-yard pass from Allen initiating a 2-play touchdown drive during the 58-42 SEC West victory at Mississippi State.

Even in Sprinkle’s shadow, Cantrell surprised as a receiver last year with 13 catches for 120 yards and two catches, one each in Arkansas’ final two SEC games at Mississippi State and the 28-24 loss at Missouri.

Every Cantrell catch is a bonus because defensive ends and outside linebackers generally catch hell from Cantrell’s blocking.

“I think he might be the best blocking tight end in the country” Enos said.

O’Grady caught the ball with the most explosive results last spring and late season 2016 logged his so far 3 catches for 60 yards catching 2 against Mississippi State and a 23-yarder against Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl.

Kraus starts 2017 as the most versatile one that Bielema and Enos can plug into any position that a tight end type plays offensively or on special teams.

(Nate Allen covers the Razorbacks for the NewsTimes.)