With the Hogs off to a 2-4 start, the future of Head Coach Bret Bielema is a topic of debate in Arkansas. Fans defending Coach Bielema are citing the team's academic record under his watch.Viewer Taylor Jones commented on the 40/29 News Facebook page, saying "It's more than football. The Hogs have the highest graduation percentage under Bielema than they have ever had. He is building a program the right way, which doesn't always get immediate wins."40/29 News reached out to the University of Arkansas' Athletic Department to find out if the Hogs really are doing better academically under Bret Bielema.The NCAA uses a stat called 'Academic Progress Rate' to measure how likely student-athletes are to graduate. Schools began tracking APR in the 2004-2005 season.The Razorbacks football team set new APR team records during Coach Bielema's past two seasons, backing up Jones' claim. Further, Coach Bielema has the best average yearly APR among Arkansas' head coaches since the NCAA began tracking the stat."We have seen significant academic progress within the football program during Coach Bielema's tenure," Kevin Trainor, associate athletic director, told 40/29.The Arkansas football team led all SEC schools in 2016 with 39 members on the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Trainor said. That was one short of the SEC record set by Bielema's team in 2015."In four years under Coach Bielema, Arkansas has gone from tied for fifth to second to first and repeated its first place total in terms of number of SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll honorees," Trainor said.Senior linebacker Brooks Ellis became the team's only two-time Academic All-American under Coach Bielema, and became the first Razorback to be named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year since the award was created in 2003. Ellis was also the only Campbell Trophy finalist from the SEC in 2016. "The Campbell Trophy is regarded as the Academic Heisman of college football," Trainor said.

With the Hogs off to a 2-4 start, the future of Head Coach Bret Bielema is a topic of debate in Arkansas. Fans defending Coach Bielema are citing the team's academic record under his watch.

Viewer Taylor Jones commented on the 40/29 News Facebook page, saying "It's more than football. The Hogs have the highest graduation percentage under Bielema than they have ever had. He is building a program the right way, which doesn't always get immediate wins."


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40/29 News reached out to the University of Arkansas' Athletic Department to find out if the Hogs really are doing better academically under Bret Bielema.

The NCAA uses a stat called 'Academic Progress Rate' to measure how likely student-athletes are to graduate. Schools began tracking APR in the 2004-2005 season.

Source: NCAA Academic Progress Rate

The Razorbacks football team set new APR team records during Coach Bielema's past two seasons, backing up Jones' claim. Further, Coach Bielema has the best average yearly APR among Arkansas' head coaches since the NCAA began tracking the stat.

"We have seen significant academic progress within the football program during Coach Bielema's tenure," Kevin Trainor, associate athletic director, told 40/29.

The Arkansas football team led all SEC schools in 2016 with 39 members on the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Trainor said. That was one short of the SEC record set by Bielema's team in 2015.

"In four years under Coach Bielema, Arkansas has gone from tied for fifth to second to first and repeated its first place total in terms of number of SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll honorees," Trainor said.

Senior linebacker Brooks Ellis became the team's only two-time Academic All-American under Coach Bielema, and became the first Razorback to be named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year since the award was created in 2003. Ellis was also the only Campbell Trophy finalist from the SEC in 2016.

"The Campbell Trophy is regarded as the Academic Heisman of college football," Trainor said.