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What Bret Bielema said ahead of matchup with Rutgers
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The Illinois win over No. 20 Penn State marked the first big win of the Bret Bielema era in Champaign.
After Penn State scored twice in the first 19 minutes of the game, the Illini defense held the Nittany Lions scoreless in the remaining 41 minutes of regulation, ending tied. The game set a record as the longest game in college football history, and after 9 overtimes the Illini came away 20-18 winners.
The Illini will host Rutgers this weekend, and will be looking to find the .500 mark in B1G play against the Scarlet Knights, who haven’t notched a conference win yet this season.
Bielema took to the podium to meet with reporters on Monday. Along with providing updates on some key injuries, we also learned that he apparently has a propensity for extended overtimes.
Here are some of his comments.
#illini Bret Bielema tells a heck of a story about Casey Washington. Bielema wanted players to wear blue gloves. Washington fought to wear white gloves and won.
Those gloves, after his game-winning catch in 9 OTs, are now headed to the College Football Hall of Fame.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
#illini Bret Bielema: "I think that [win at Penn State] was earned."
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
#illini Bret Bielema referred to redshirt freshmen defensive linemen Keith Randolph and Johnny Newton as "the law firm of Newton and Randolph"
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
#illini Bret Bielema: I'd love have as many people in Memorial Stadium as possible against Rutgers. Guys feed off the passion.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
#illini Bret Bielema: Artur Sitkowski broke his arm. Will have surgery Wednesday. Out for season.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
#illini Bret Bielema: Sitkowski had a preexisting shoulder injury when he got here. Rehabbed it. But arm strength wasn't quite the same.
Will have surgery on that this offseason as well. 6-8 month recovery.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
Talked with Sitkowski about maximizing recovery time and potentially getting surgery on shoulder during first or second off week of season.
Will be out for spring football but back for fall.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
#illini Bret Bielema: Chase Brown has passed tests (assuming concussion tests). Should be cleared and good to go this week.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
#illini Bret Bielema: OL Vederian Lowe is "progressing in right direction." Could be with us Saturday, but not a long-term injury.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
#illini Bret Bielema: DB Sydney Brown "setting a record for games in a club." Non-surgical issue. Club should get smaller in subsequent games.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
#illini Bret Bielema: Six of the longest OT games in history, I've been a part of three of them.
He wanted to make another note: "We won all three."
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
#illini Bret Bielema on RB Josh McCray: "He runs angry."
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 25, 2021
Scott Schultz covers Michigan State Football, along with Breaking News for B1G Football & Basketball for Saturday Tradition. He also serves as an Automotive News Editor & Writer, and Softball Writer elsewhere on the web. Follow him on Twitter @SRSchultz.