Bielema excited for challenge of SEC at Arkansas

Bielema also liked what he heard from Long earlier this week during a clandestine meeting in New York, eventually agreeing to become the Razorbacks' long-term replacement for the scandal-ridden Petrino.

The former Wisconsin coach was introduced in Fayetteville on Wednesday, bringing an end to a nearly eight-month search for Arkansas — which fell from the upper echelon of the Southeastern Conference to also-ran in its season in limbo under interim coach John L. Smith.

The Illinois native takes over a program hit hard by the turmoil following the ouster of Petrino, who was fired for hiring his mistress and initially lying about her presence during an April 1 motorcycle accident. Arkansas began the season ranked in the top 10 before stumbling to a 4-8 finish under Smith, missing a bowl game for the first time since 2008.

"I truly believe that truly successful men are more defined during their times of adversity than during their times of success," Bielema said. "... I know they wanted to have more success and go to a bowl game, and I know they wanted to achieve all the things they felt were in front of them at the end of the year.

"But they persevered."

Bielema will receive $3.2 million annually for six seasons, leaving behind a Wisconsin program he led to a 68-24 record over the past seven seasons. The 42-year-old coach said he won't coach the Badgers in their third straight visit to the Rose Bowl.

"I just felt it was time for me to try and spread my wings and fly a little bit further," Bielema said.

Long said he interviewed four candidates for the job, though Bielema was his first choice. The athletic director said he first met Bielema when he was an assistant coach at Wisconsin in 2005, but it was his September letter of support following Petrino's firing that caught his attention.

Long first attempted to make contact with Bielema following Wisconsin's 70-31 win over Nebraska on Saturday night in the Big Ten championship game. The two talked Sunday before eventually meeting into the late hours of Monday night as Long neared an end to the lengthy search that he said included plenty of "ups and downs."

"I'm very relieved," Long said.

Long said he had no indication from Bielema or his representation before Sunday that the coach might be interested in the Arkansas job. He only had the coach's letter — one of "three or four" he received from coaches relating to the difficult decisions surrounding Petrino's firing and Smith's hiring as interim coach.