Bret Bielema Takes Reins of Illinois Football

#226      
Deleted member 16340
I think we can begin to see JW's priorities in his hiring: ties to the state, not necessarily to the university, competitive at the highest levels, has the capacity to build and stay the course for the long haul. It's clear to me that he wants our program to be successful. I love it.
 
#227      
ChiIllini75
ugottabjoshinme said:
“Illinois and the Big Ten is home for me, and I can’t be any more excited about the opportunity in front of me with the Fighting Illini,” Bielema said. “We want to build a program that makes Illini Nation proud and regain the passion that I’ve seen when Illinois wins. We want the young men playing football in the state of Illinois from Freeport to Cairo and from Quincy to Danville dreaming of wearing the Orange and Blue and playing at Memorial Stadium. I look forward to re-connecting with the high school coaches around the state making it clear we intend to keep our players home.”

That’s a good start
Click to expand...
As a native of Freeport (Go Pretzels!) this quote has won me over.
 
#228      
Emerson Bigguns
I think this was about as good as we could do. I see the frequent knock on him is that he was only able to sustain someone else’s success, not build his own.
What coach who has proven he can build a power 5 team from an also-ran to a winner
A. Doesn’t already have a job
B. Is young enough to consider doing it again
C. Would consider doing it at Illinois

My guess is zero coaches.

Success comes with doing what it takes every day. At least BB knows what running a winning football program in the B1G looks like day to day. If anyone is going to build a winner here, that’s where it starts.
If he is such a terrible human being, how did he manage to coach two HOF caliber players who are also thought of as 2 of the highest character guys in the NFL? (Watt & Wilson)
Whatever character flaws he may have in his personal life previously, never seemed to seep into his program.
 
#229      
logjam
Poe's Law said:
Didn’t Bielema pull a high profile skill player from ESL? Apple or Appleton something with fruit? But now he’s the wrong coach at Illinois?
Click to expand...
Appleton, didn't work out at all, heard he was a headcase.
 
#231      
CurbeloYourEnthusiasm
I love Bielema's personality in a football coach. I think he's going to be loved by his players, and he's going to have a connection to them in a way that we really have never seen here.

Lovie - was too old and too aloof/above it all to connect or inspire
Beckman - was a clown
Zook - he connected with the players, but more in a way where he tried to be their friend and act like them
Turner - was more a professor/teacher type
Tepper - kind of a no personality type
Mackovic - was a professor/teacher type

I think Bielema is going to be the type of head coach to inspire insane effort from his guys. And I guarantee we won't be as soft as we've been under Lovie. Lovie hardly ever live tackled in practice using the NFL approach. Bielema ain't like that. We'll be hitting hard and being alot more physical. I just love this hire. I thought it was the obvious hire to make given the candidates, much like PJ Fleck was a few years ago. We got a system that has worked at Wisconsin, and there's no reason it can't work here. We got a coach that matches the credibility that our rivals schools have in their coaches. We're on an even playing field now.
 
#232      
illiniCA
ILL_INI said:
Someone convince me that this isn't the equivalent of Kansas hiring Les Miles. I laughed at that hire. Seems like a lot of outsiders are laughing at this hire.
Click to expand...
What legitimate outsideris laughing at this hire? Concerns yes. Laughing no.
 
#234      
Deleted member 747671
Couple things:
Welcome aboard the BB train!

The pay seems high but it’s the going rate. Only 2 big ten coaches make less, locksley and Allen and I imagine Allen will get another raise soon.

They’re only tv hits but he sounds great so far and the hosts seem to like and think highly of him.

Sounds like he’s going 3-4 on defense and will be more involved there. Seems to be floating the idea of a different offensive style but one that will remain ball control.

Really interested in his staff. Hitting all the key notes when talking about recruiting.
 
#239      
ChiefGritty
CurbeloYourEnthusiasm said:
Zook - he connected with the players, but more in a way where he tried to be their friend and act like them
Click to expand...
There is some degree of truth in the way you describe it, Zook's kids definitely knew that their classroom performance and personal conduct were not what mattered in his eyes.

But those guys LOVED Zook, would absolutely run though a wall for him, and were completely dedicated to football and gave him everything when they were in the building. And that flowed to the parents and the high school coaches too, in a way that would kinda belie the "player's buddy" idea. The program family was all-in on Ron Zook from the day he was hired to the day he was fired in a way they never were for a second with Beckman.

That staff just wasn't very good at coaching that consistency and attention to detail and situational awareness, sadly. We'd have been off to the races if they were, but then again he'd have succeeded at Florida and never come here if they were.
 
Last edited:
#241      
SescIllini
Illinir1 said:
My comment during speculation in the Coaching Carousel thread: "Bielema's 5 year SEC conference record at Arkansas was 11-29. They were 21-19 in the SEC the 5 years before he arrived. No thanks."

If he's our Coach, I'll get on board and support. I hope he makes a fan out of me instead of being an Arkansas repeat.
Click to expand...
The Big Ten isn't the SEC, Illinois has winable games in and out of conference. Also will have room to bring in impact transfers.
 
#243      
B-ILL
B-ILL said:
I hope there’s a clause in his contract that keeps him away from the XXXL wind suits in the apparel closet.

View attachment 6845
Click to expand...
Looks like he might just be a baggy wind suit and visor guy, unfortunately. This takes my grade of the hire from a B to a B-.

1608398504951.png


www.nj.com

Giants lose Bret Bielema, hired as Illinois’ next head coach: Thoughts on a big (but expected) loss

The New York Giants lose outside linebackers coach Bret Bielema to Illinois.
www.nj.com www.nj.com
 
#247      
Calvin
ILL_INI said:
Someone convince me that this isn't the equivalent of Kansas hiring Les Miles. I laughed at that hire. Seems like a lot of outsiders are laughing at this hire.
Click to expand...

I agree with the sentiment, but Les Miles made it to 2 national championship games, and won one. Even with the support of a program like LSU, that's some serious success. In a dozen years in the SEC, he had ONE season below .500, and that was only 1 game below .500. Helluva a run compared to BB.

3 wins in 20 games at Kansas so far. Think about that folks. And by the way, Miles is getting $2.8 million there. BB is what, $4.2 mil?

Everyone remind me to come back here when he's brought Illinois up to respectability on and off the field, because I'll be surprised, and very happy to be reminded that I didn't see it coming. Definitely give me more respect for JW.
 
Back