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Report: Bret Bielema expects to land DC position in NFL
Published:
Once considered one of the top head coaches in college football, Bret Bielema is anticipating a bright future in the NFL, according to a report.
The Boston Globe is reporting that the former Wisconsin and Arkansas head coach is expecting to be named the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots following the Super Bowl. Bielema has spent this past year as a consultant to the head coach for Bill Belichick with the Patriots.
From The Boston Globe:
A report from NFL Network this past week stated that Greg Schiano is set to take a top defensive coaching position with the Patriots, but I’m not 100 percent certain that he would be the defensive coordinator. Per a league source, Bret Bielema, who joined the Patriots’ staff this season as a “consultant to the head coach,” has been telling people that he is going to become the Patriots’ defensive coordinator. It would be rare for Belichick to make an outside hire and elevate him immediately to one of the coordinator positions.
This season was the first experience Bielema has had in the NFL, but he’s a defensive-minded coach who has had plenty of success in his past.
Prior to head coaching tenures at Wisconsin and Arkansas, Bielema coached linebackers at Iowa, served as a co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State and was the defensive coordinator with the Badgers.
Bielema took over at Wisconsin in 2006 where he coached through the 2012 season. In seven years, he tallied a 68-24 record and won three B1G titles, which came in back-to-back-to-back years from 2010-12. The Badgers attended bowl games all seven years and finished ranked in the top 25 all but one season.
Bielema’s run at Arkansas didn’t see nearly as much success. In five seasons, he totaled a 29-34 record. His best year came in 2015 when the Razorbacks finished 8-5 and 5-3 in SEC play. It was the only time Arkansas had a winning record in conference.
Arkansas fired Bielema immediately after the Razorbacks’ 48-45 loss to Missouri in the season finale. He was made aware of the decision as he was walking off the field.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB