Now that seven weeks are in the books for the 2021 season, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema and the Fighting Illini have a bye week. The 2-5 overall start to the season isn’t how the new head coach had planned the season to go, and the team had Monday off before resuming practice on Tuesday.

Recruiting will be on the calendar for Bielema and his staff during the off-week, with a chance to visit prospects on the road and coaches scattered throughout the high school landscape during the weekend.

Any chances of a post season are pretty much dead, and Bielema will have to get his team to focus on the game at hand. Coming off three straight B1G losses and a dismal 24-0 showing against Wisconsin, they have a tall order ahead in their next contest with No 7 Penn State on Oct. 23.

Bielema took to the podium on Tuesday, and had some comments.