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Bret Bielema to make in-state recruiting a priority as new head coach at Illinois
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New Illinois coach Bret Bielema already has an idea of what he’s going to prioritize as the Illini’s head coach.
During a radio interview on Saturday morning, Bielema discussed how much experience he has recruiting the state of Illinois and said it would be a priority for all 10 of his assistant coaches.
He also told a humorous anecdote about a time he was “stuck in a shed” with New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton:
#illini Bret Bielema on @wdws1400: "I can't tell you how many miles I've logged in Illinois."
"I remember being stuck in a shed in Rantoul with Sean Payton."
"We're going to go from tip to tip in the state of Illinois." Says all 10 coaches will recruit state.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) December 19, 2020
As for the rest of his staff, that’s still to be determined. Bielema said he hasn’t discussed openings with any potential candidates.
New #illini coach Bret Bielema on @wdws on staffing: "I literally have not talked to anybody."
Knows guys he wants to contact but wants to talk to current players and coaches first.
"Transition is never an easy thing," and says he's experienced both ends of that.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) December 19, 2020
Bielema has experience coaching all over the Big Ten and the mid west in general, so he’ll likely have no shortage of candidates with regional ties to interview. In addition to being the head coach at Arkansas and Wisconsin, he’s been an assistant at Kansas State and Iowa. He was also an assistant for the Badgers for two years before getting the head job.
His first test as Illinois’ head coach will come in early February for National Signing Day. The Illini signed 14 players during the Early Signing Period.
Bielema replaces Lovie Smith after a 2-5 season.
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.