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Bret Bielema cites Ted Agu's death to support pace-of-play rule change

Disgusting. Insensitive. Callous. Vile. Despicable. Abhorrent.

Reid Compton-US PRESSWIRE

At a press conference before meeting with boosters, Arkansas Coach Brett Bielema gave his opinion on the proposed rule to limit pace of play in college football.

You would think that a coach would be sensitive to how awful it must feel to lose one of your players. How heart-rending it must be to inform his family and loved ones. If that coach were a decent human being with a heart and soul, I hope you'd be right.

Brett Bielema is apparently neither. Shame on you, Mr. Bielema. How dare you use a tragedy to further your own selfish agenda? You owe Ted Agu's family an apology.

UPDATE: Here is link to the AP story regarding Bielema's quotes.

Bielema, speaking to the media before a meeting of the White County Razorback Club, said he expects the proposal to prohibit snapping the ball until at least 10 seconds run off the 40-second play clock to pass when the NCAA playing rules oversight panel votes on March 6.

He also reiterated his stance that the proposal is safety-based — saying he wants to be proactive and make a change before a fatal injury.

The former Wisconsin coach pointed to the recent death of California football player Ted Agu during a training run, saying the inability to substitute an injured player between plays could lead to injury or death.

"If one of those players is on the field for me, and I have no timeouts, I have no way to stop the game," Bielema said. "And he raises his hand to stop the game, and I can't do it. What am I supposed to do?

"What are we supposed to do when we have a player who tells us he's injured?