If the staff makes the Coach, Bret Bielema looks to be off to a good start in Fayetteville as Head Hog.

Yesterday, Bielema hired former Wisconsin (co) Defensive Coordinator Chris Ash as his defensive coordinator. Tonight, Arkansas announced Jim Chaney has been hired as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Chaney notables:

• He has spent the last 4 years as the Tennessee Vols Offensive Coordinator (SEC experience and recruiting ties);

• Prior to his time in Knoxville, Chaney spent 3 seasons as an assistant coach for the St. Louis Rams (NFL Experience that should help in recruiting);

• Before his stint in the NFL, Chaney was Purdue’s offensive coordinator for 9 seasons, and tutored a guy named Drew Brees (Superstar name to toss around on the recruiting trail);

• At Purdue, Chaney ran the spread (basketball on grass) but at UT, after his NFL stint, he ran more of a pro-style offense. Neither college stop featured a run-first, run-second offense like those implemented at Wisconsin under the Barry Alvarez and Bielema regimes.

• Chaney (like the new Hogs’ defensive coordinator, Ash) has also served as a recruiting coordinator (at Purdue during the Brees era).