Gus Malzahn has had many opportunities since camp opened to talk about how good Auburn can be this season. He is more than justified in doing so. Consider what the Tigers accomplished last season. Consider the plethora of talent Auburn has returning. Consider where they are ranked in the preseason polls. Malzahn is one of the brightest offensive minds in college football. He could very easily gloat.

He doesn’t though. It is not his personality. And besides, he can let what his players do on the field do all the talking.

If Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Bret Bielema took that same approach – letting what his team does on the field do the talking – he would be a mute.

The Razorbacks didn’t win an SEC game in Bielema’s first season in Fayetteville. In four team categories – scoring offense, total offense, scoring defense and total defense – Arkansas was no higher than ninth in the conference. The Razorbacks best rusher was seventh in the conference, their quarterback 12th, best receiver 32nd, best tackler 7th and interception leader 23rd.

Yet on Friday Bielema gave Auburn some bulletin board material.

“Saturday we’ve got the whole world to show what we’re about,” Bielema said to Arkansasnews.com.

Bielema was at Arkansas’ annual football kickoff luncheon Friday and used his latest comments to fire up his troops and Razorbacks fans.

We have gotten to expect this from Bielema. He is not shy at opening his mouth regardless of the subject.

  • He accused Urban Meyer of shady recruiting tactics.
  • When Bielema was hired at Arkansas he said “I didn’t come here to play Alabama. I came here to beat Alabama.”
  • Bielema took at stab at Lane Kiffin’s recruiting tactics: “It’s not like it was when Lane basically said, ‘I’m gonna do some things, gonna get caught, but it’s worth exposure.”
  • Took multiple shots at Nick Saban including comparing Saban’s Big 10 record to his.

Then there is Bielema and Malzahn’s heated relationship that initiated at last year’s SEC Media Day. Malzahn took offense to Bielema’s notion that fast-paced, no-huddle offense increased injuries and put players at risk calling it “a joke.” Bielema responded with “I’m not a comedian.” That followed with Bielema somewhat accusing Auburn of sending misleading game film prior to last year’s game. Since then their relationship has been professional but still a little chilly.

“I can’t say we’re breaking bread and going to dinner, but I’m not throwing bread and rocks at him,” Bielema said when heads cooled.

Bielema has every right to feel confident about his 2014 squad and carry a chip on his shoulder.

“One thing we should be able to do is we should be very angry about what happened a year ago,” Bielema said. “Our kids show it on a daily basis. “I have no idea the amount of wins and losses that will equate to. But I know at the end of the day, I can hold my chin high and they can as well about the way they conduct business. We’re building something and I hope to get to that plateau sooner than later.”

For the last three years Arkansas has lost their SEC opener and have been outscored 141-57. Those were with three of four games under their belt too.

Walking into the defending SEC champions house in week 1 and “showing the world what (they) are all about” is a monumental task, one that all the talking in the world won’t help to achieve regardless of how confident Bielema is.