He previously covered recruiting and the team beat for Ohio State, Clemson, South Carolina and recruiting at the national level for three years. The Bielema family hopes to reside in Champaign for a long time. Bielema finished his first season at Illinois with an overall record of 5-7, and a Big Ten record of 4-5, which placed the Illini fifth in the Big Ten West Division. When we were designing the house, we were talking about the number of cars to fit in the garage. "He has worked tirelessly . d2luZG93Ll9kaWRBc3luY0luamVjdEdvb2dsZVRhZ01hbmFnZXIpIHJldHVy What type of leadership is this?, This isnt a good look. If anything, it makes us look like a joke. The Razorbacks twice led by 14, but lost both leads. Credit . Bielema left for Arkansas before the bowl game and the ranking reflects the team's ranking at the time of Bielema's departure. A culture-builder for coach Bret Bielema -- an assistant in New England prior to taking the job at Illinois -- you can tell Witherspoon enjoys the physicality of the game. The Bielema family hopes to reside in Champaign for a long time. From 2006-12 Bielema was the head coach at Wisconsin, where he led the Badgers to three Big Ten championships (2010-12), six consecutive bowl games and a 68-24 record (.739). On December 4, 2012, it was announced that Bielema was leaving Wisconsin to become the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. (.611) as head coach at Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Illinois. David Hookstead While the Fighting Illini are an impressive 4-1 after dominating Wisconsin 34-10 on the road, Bielema committed the one crime that you just can't shake: the crime of being cringe. Bielema won his first game with the Illini against the Nebraska Cornhuskers then went on a 4 game losing streak to UTSA, Virginia, Maryland and Purdue. [30] Bielema ended the year by defeating one of his former mentors, Bill Snyder, in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, as Arkansas dispatched Kansas State, 4523, to finish the season with a record of 85. [14] With the 353 defeat of the University at Buffalo on November 18, 2006, Bielema became the first coach in UW history to win 11 games in the regular season. To go along with that success, the Orange and Blue are ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2011 at No. Not seeing his family since a short stay in New Jersey for Christmas, Bret hoped to hop on a plane by 7 a.m. and take a two-hour flight out to his familys rental home just to bring them right back to Champaign, so he could be with his family for good. He is spot on with what he said. By Gabby Hajduk, Staff Writer April 8, 2021. The Hogs have Rocket Sanders and his 870 yards, third in FBS. [22][23], Bielema's second season saw significant improvement, as Arkansas finished 76. 3:31. [39], On January 21, 2020, the Giants hired Bielema as their outside linebackers coach and senior assistant under Joe Judge.[40]. But this also doesnt mean the players in the second or third string cant develop into good offensive linemen. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Illinois football coach Bret Bielema's father-in-law, Greg Hielsberg, passed away on Wednesday, the University announced in a press release. 21 Northwestern. [10] Later, with a 243 win over Purdue on October 21, Bielema tied the record for most wins by a first-year coach at UW with seven. DISCLAIMER: This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real money betting. From 2006-12 Bielema was the head coach at Wisconsin, where he led the Badgers to three Big Ten championships (2010-12), six consecutive . Bielema then spent five seasons as head coach at Arkansas from 2013-17. With Illinois losing to Purdue last weekend, the Boilermakers hold a tiebreaker over the Illini. [49], Bielema married Jen Hielsberg on March 10, 2012 in Madison. The Illini lost their next game to Rutgers before upsetting Minnesota, then ranked #20 in the College Football Playoff poll. Its no secret Bret is an emotional man when it comes to his family. Five months removed from graduating from Illinois, I had always planned to go to my first homecoming game as an alumni, regardless of what the Illinis record was. bS9ucy5odG1sP2lkPUdUTS1NRjZQWFhDJmFtcDtndG1fYXV0aD1LaEg2aGVD Those little moments of fun Bret gets to share with his girls are so precious to a father who has such limited time with his family. 2023 University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, Outside Linebackers, Senior Assistant Coach. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. But when that came through yesterday, I was literally just, just sat there for a moment kind of digested it and thought about it, Bielema said when discussing being ranked. Bielema discussed that while there is more work to be done, he is pleased with the direction of his program. As Ive noted several times, Im not a Bret Bielema fan. Illinois football coach Bret Bielema tested positive for COVID-19 and will not coach in Saturday's game at Iowa. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema argues a call with an official against Penn State during an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa.on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. [3] In 1994 he played for the Milwaukee Mustangs, a team in the Arena Football League. Sign up now and get a 30-day FREE trial. Two seasons later, he was named Defensive Coordinator at Wisconsin under Hall-of-Famer Barry Alvarez and moved into the head coaching role of the Badgers in 2006 when Alvarez retired. He would never want to make his girls more upset. 14, and were ranked in the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time in school history. And then she said that, it almost brings tears to my eyes now because I saw it a lot in these last three months, especially in the last month. Head Coach Bret Bielema, Chase Brown (2) Illinois Fighting Illini Football vs. Wisconsin - 10/1/2022. Bielema's return to Illinois could infuse an Illini team that largely struggled under Smith, who went 17-39, including 10-33 in the Big Ten, and earned one bowl bid in five seasons. Back in New Jersey, the girls were in preschool, which kept them occupied during the day and let Jen focus on the move, but after school got out, FaceTimes or phone calls to Bret were a constant. And its the first time in any of our moves, that shes been able to speak her emotions of missing Daddy. [24][25] Though Arkansas lost its remaining conference game against Missouri, the Razorbacks were still the first unranked team in college football history to shut out two consecutive ranked opponents. Bielema said in a statement that he had developed a breakthrough case of COVID-19. ewogICAgYzE6ICIyIiwKICAgIGMyOiAiNzI0MTQ2OSIsCiAgICBjNTogIjIw cG9XSlVIbnFWemRFYTd3JmFtcDtndG1fcHJldmlldz1lbnYtMSZhbXA7Z3Rt . I dont think I would ever have gotten that from anybody else but her. Hopefully, this doesnt affect the program too much in a negative way, especially on the recruiting trail. bS9jcy5qcyI7CiAgICBlbC5wYXJlbnROb2RlLmluc2VydEJlZm9yZShzLCBl The death of Bret Bielema's mother, . Though the longterm move into the new house wont be for about a year, Bret and Jen are just excited to start sharing the little moments together with Briella and Brexli, along with getting to know the Illini community. And the jobs here that we have with our children, I mean, she knows more than anything how important those girls are to me. CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli breaks down what Illinois football's long-term possibilities are under Bret Bielema in a deepening Big Ten. He really cares. Y29tc2NvcmUgPSBfY29tc2NvcmUgfHwgW107CiAgX2NvbXNjb3JlLnB1c2go But a few weeks back, Bret received an email that he had to attend a Zoom meeting that morning with all the Big Ten head football coaches. After the game, Bielema told reporters that he had been told he was being fired while he was coming off the field. Ferentz retained only Bielema and quarterbacks coach Chuck Long from Fry's staff. INDIANAPOLIS The Illinois defensive secondary is less than two months away from joining some elite company. It was thefirst time a pair of Illini earn finalists status in National College Football Awards Associationawardssince 1995 and the first time an Illini finished in the top three of either the Doak Walker Award or Thorpe Award. The former Razorbacks head man had three modest seasons at Arkansas, but bookend years of 3-9 (0-8) and 4-8 (1-7) in the SEC left him five games below .500 and 11-29 in the SEC during his five seasons. [34], Bielemas fifth season saw the program continue to regress, finishing 4-8 overall and going just 1-7 in the SEC. Most Wisconsin fans arent. Bielema has talked . Examining Arkansas' potential permanent opponents if SEC scrapped divisions, Report: Jordan Walsh a strong candidate to return to Arkansas next season, Finally! I grew up playing for Coach (Hayden) Fry, and he used to say Partner, if you done it, you aint bragging. And thats why I showed one of the first graphics I showed our players. However, hes also capable of laughing about the fact hes a bigger man. At 5-1 (2-1 B1G), the Illini have a chance to clinch a bowl berth for the first time since 2019, needing six wins to make it a reality. Smh. And he embraced her. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. He is the head football coach at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a position he has held since the 2021 season.Bielema served as the head football coach at of the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 2006 to 2012, achieving a 68-24 record and taking them to three straight Rose . Yesterdays press conference was different, though. Brody Wisecarver is just a freshman and has plenty of time to develop. When asked in a Big Ten Network video about the worst Halloween candy, Bielema fired back with, Do I look like a man who doesnt like candy?, What is the Halloween Candy? Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. dmVyc2lvbgogICAgcy5zcmMgPSAiaHR0cHM6Ly9zLnlpbWcuY29tL2N4L3Z6 The University of Illinois coach speaks to the media Saturday after the Illini fell to the Wisconsin Badgers 24-0 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Il. Im like, Baby, whats wrong? Shes like, I miss Daddy and want to see Daddy. And thats when its just like, she knows. Also, Jim Harbaugh claiming Baby Ruth is the best candy is by far the correct answer. Lets look at the content first. Newer Post Older Post Home. MjI3MzMxMDEiLAogICAgYzc6ICJodHRwczovL2lsbGlub2lzLnJpdmFscy5j Bielema then spent five seasons as head coach at Arkansas from 2013-17. Imh0dHBzOi8vc2Iuc2NvcmVjYXJkcmVzZWFyY2guY29tL3A/YzE9MiZjMj03 Smh., La Mont Carroll (@BIGsplurger) October 19, 2021, Another prominent tweeter was former Illini offensive lineman and NFL veteran, Jeff Allen. It was funny because we were about ready to get on the plane, and Jen was doing some last-minute things with the house and putting the car seats in the car service. [20], Bielema's first season at Arkansas resulted in an overall record of 3-9, including 0-8 in the Southeastern Conference. He is the father of the current New York Giants' outside linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant, Bret Bielema.Furthermore, he is also famous as the father-in-law of businesswoman and model Jennifer Hielsberg.. Arnie had a pig farm in Prophetstown, Illinois. Photo Courtesy of Michael Glasgow / Illinois Athletics. Illinois Fighting Illini news fromFanSided Daily, Illinois Football: 3 key numbers for the Illini to beat Minnesota, Illinois Football: 5 observations from the Illini win over Minnesota, Illinois Football: 30 Greatest Players of All-Time, Illinois Football: Path for the Illini to win the Big Ten West, Manny Machado Swears Repeatedly on MLB Network During Padres Celebration, Illinois Football: Tommy DeVito has made the Illini offense dynamic. So I was having them play tag inside the house because the house was He was the first coach in Big Ten history to win 10 games in his first season, the first Wisconsin coach to win 11 games prior to a bowl game and became the third coach in NCAA history to win 12 games in his first season. As I got older and my fandom grew, so did my knowledge of college football and its respective conferences and universities. From the literal moment the New York Giants hired Bret Bielema as their outside linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant, it was . Illinois. I dont believe we have a player in the two-deep, um, that they recruited here over the last three years this is really significantly doing anything for us in the playing department, and that is a major concern, right. I think as men we always gravitate to, you know, comfort and doing the same things, Bret said. The Hogs have to rebuild the wide receiver room after losing the bulk of their pass offense, which makes this recruiting season interesting (). Illinois football coach Bret Bielema isnt afraid to engage in a little self-deprecating humor. Not yet a premium member? He was laughing like a kid in a candy shop. Bielema spent the previous three seasons before Illinois in the National Football League. In Bielema's first season with the Patriots, New England was 11-5 and defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII. Alvarez also announced he had chosen Bielema as his successor, and would take over in 2006.[9]. David is a college football fanatic who foolishly convinces himself every season the Wisconsin Badgers will finally win a national title. [6], After the 2001 season, Bielema became co-defensive coordinator for the Kansas State Wildcats, coached by Bill Snyder, who had coached at Iowa with Fry for a decade. I started laughing because I was thinking the same thing. The Bielemas are now just a couple hours away from Prophetstown, Brets hometown, and Chicago, the city where Jen and Bret had their first official date. bCk7CiAgfSkoKTsKPC9zY3JpcHQ+Cgo8bm9zY3JpcHQ+CiAgPGltZyBzcmM9 That probably tears my heart the hardest when I can just see it on her. [4], Bielema returned to Iowa in 1994 to begin his coaching career under Fry as a graduate assistant. 0 Response to "Suspect arrested in shooting at Somers House tavern in Kenosha County that killed 3, injured 3 others - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel" Post a Comment. But its definitely not our ending point that is hopefully just a catalyst in the future.. Bret BielemaIllinoisIllinois Fighting Illini. Columnist. Illinois football coach Bret Bielema will coach the Illini at No. The Fighting Illini beat Minnesota, 26-14, on Saturday to move to 6-1 and become bowl-eligible. The best Arkansas ever started through seven games under Bielema was 5-2. After inheriting a depleted roster and enduring a difficult first season, he led the Razorbacks to three consecutive bowl games, including victories against Texas in 2014 and Kansas State in 2015. Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema and his wife Jen Bielema pose for a photo with their daughters Briella and Brexli in front of the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center on Dec. 12. [42] The salary makes him the ninth-highest paid head coach among the fourteen members of the Big Ten Conference. . [36], Prior to the 2018 NFL season, Bielema was hired by the New England Patriots as a defensive consultant to head coach Bill Belichick. LmpzcmRuLmNvbS9zL2NzLmpzP3A9MjI1NDYnIHR5cGU9J3RleHQvamF2YXNj [28][29] Bielema then caught fire in the second half of the season, going 51 over the final six games, losing the one game to Mississippi State on a missed field goal. Yet there was a Zoom call with the family that took his breath away, when one of his Bielemas young daughters popped a simple question: Hey Dad, can you just come home?. Bielema was part of the 1990 Iowa team that won a share of the Big Ten title with Illinois. The Illini may not have star running back Chase Brown, who suffered a right leg injury in the final . Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. The moment caused considerable stir, with University of Iowa officials reprimanding Bielema and sending an official letter of apology to Walden. From that tweet, many fans, enemies, and people across the country grabbed ahold of the video and have commented on it. Bielema won his first two SEC games in dominating fashion in November, beating #17 LSU by a score of 170 and #8 Ole Miss by a score of 300 to achieve bowl eligibility. But were thrilled to be back in the Big Ten, thrilled to be back in college football and all of what that entails. 5. Its been a pleasure kicking your ass the last five years" (Iowa State had never beaten Iowa during Bielema's tenure with the team). During his last season in Fayetteville in 2017, Arkansas as an athletic department underwent one of the ugliest seasons and transitions in years. Bielema lettered four years, earned a scholarship and served as team captain his senior season. Fenelus played at Wisconsin under Bielema, where he was an All-Big Ten First Team selection. She can sense it. totally empty, and theyve never been able to run the length of the house, so they were excited. Bret Bielema (@BretBielema) November 19, 2022. 24. They beat Iowa and Wisconsin in the same season for the first time since 1989, and are rolling behind a stingy defense and productive offense. aGUtZ3JvdW5kLXpvb21pbmciCiAgfSk7CiAgKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgewogICAg Bret Bielema has agreed to a six-year contract extension with Illinois through the end of the 2028 season, the school announced on Tuesday. 2023 University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, Outside Linebackers, Senior Assistant Coach. The Badgers shared or won Big Ten championships three straight seasons from 2010-12 and he led Wisconsin to victories in the first two Big Ten championship games. Champaign, Illinois | East Central IL's source for news, weather & sports. (Photo by Lawrence Iles/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) [32] Beating Missouri would have resulted in Bret Bielema improving his regular season record every year at Arkansas. The Illini were ranked in the AP Top 25 for five straight weeks, reaching as high as No. Its probably a good thing Illinois is a ways away from Arkansas. Illinois Women's Basketball CHAMPAIGN Bret Bielema and his wife already selected the lot in Champaign where they will build their house, and Bielema is living the bachelor life at this point, while laying the groundwork of the next Illini football regime. Bielema attended Prophetstown High School in Prophetstown, Illinois. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. Not seeing his family since a short stay in New Jersey for Christmas, Bret hoped to hop on a plane by 7 a.m. and take a two-hour flight out to his family's . Bret Bielema had an indirect part in his former employer changing head coaches. Head coach Bret Bielema practically cleaned house at the conclusion of the 2021 season, a year that saw the Illini finish 5-7 and regain the Land of Lincoln trophy from Northwestern during Thanksgiving weekend at Memorial Stadium. Quote Tweet. Sign up for the Razorbacks Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning, Not everyone is a fan of Sam Pittman's offseason moves. Iowa football alum Bret Bielema is head coach at nearby Illinois. Bielema has the Fighting Illini sitting at 6-1 and in first place of the Big Ten. Barry Reeger. So its a product of what they built and what theyve tried to accomplish. Seeing Bret and the girls together, playing games or doing daddy-daughter date night or hanging out in the office has brought Jen a much-needed sense of comfort. INDIANAPOLIS The last time Bret Bielema was in Lucas Oil Stadium, he was on top. Bielema's starting quarterback also suffered a throwing shoulder injury, which limited his ability the entire season. Illinois'scoring defense (31st from 97th), third down defense (31st from 89th), and total defense (52nd from 114th) all improved more than 50 spots in the nation rankings from 2020. pic.twitter.com/UmayI5wndb. I would say the answer is, yes. It was fun. We love college football. Bielema then spent five seasons as head coach at Arkansas from 2013-17. aWQ9J2RzX2RlZmF1bHRfYW5jaG9yJz48L2Rpdj4KPC9kaXY+CjwvZGl2PgoK, Predict prospect commits with FanFutureCast, Certain Data by Sportradar and Stats Perform, PCEtLSBCZWdpbiBjb21TY29yZSBUYWcgLS0+Cgo8c2NyaXB0PgogIHZhciBf While theyre staying in a rental home for now, they are building a brand new house close to campus. Bielema was named a finalist for the 2010 Bear Bryant Award which is given to college football's Coach of the Year. Where does Eric Musselman rank on the SEC basketball coaches' hot seat? Little did anyone know that those series of wins against Penn State, Minnesota, and the Wildcats would serve as a springboard for the 2022 season. Bret Bielema may never get back to the coaching heights he achieved while at the University of Wisconsin from 2006-2012, but he's sure going to try at Illinois. And did it that way because they did not want them to hear on social media or via group text", "Bret Bielema, popular among former Razorbacks and Badgers, now with Patriots", "Bret Bielema eager to serve as Patriots defensive line coach", "Super Bowl LIII - Los Angeles Rams vs. New England Patriots - February 3rd, 2019", "Giants hiring former Patriots DL coach Bret Bielema", "Bret Bielema Takes Reins of Fighting Illini Football", "Illinois hires Bielema to replace Smith as coach", "2021 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results", "2022 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results", "ReliaQuest Bowl - Mississippi State vs Illinois Box Score, January 2, 2023", "Illinois Fighting Illini College Football History, Stats, Records", "From the farm to the Fighting Illini: Bielema has the backing of Prophetstown", "UW football: Bielema announces engagement", "For Bielema family, toughness a trait passed from mother to son", Coaching statistics at Sports-Reference.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bret_Bielema&oldid=1142547462, Illinois Fighting Illini football coaches, Coaches of American football from Illinois, Players of American football from Illinois, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 01:18. Chase Brown rushed for 129 yards, Tommy DeVito had three short touchdown keepers and Illinois trounced Wisconsin 34-10 on Saturday to give the Illini their first win at Madison since 2002. Bret Bielema Tweeted A Response To A No-Call On An Apparent Pick Play In Michigan's Win Over Illinois. A small wrench had been thrown in his plan and waiting to hold Briella and Brexli, hear their giggles and see their smiles was more than just a minor inconvenience. Illinois . I would imagine Bielema would want the players to keep in-house stuff in the locker room, as most coaches do. My husbands definitely a very sentimental, sensitive guy, Jen said. After joining the team as a walk-on, Bielema earned a scholarship after his first year, started as a junior and was named a team captain for his senior season. A native of Prophetstown, Illinois, Bielema has 25 years of collegiate coaching experience and compiled a 14-year record of 110-70(.611) as head coach at Wisconsin,Arkansas, and Illinois. [11] A 3024 victory over the Fighting Illini on October 28, Bielema became the first coach in Wisconsin history to win eight games in his first season. Again, the content isnt untruthful. Its like the perfect world for us, which is why were building and really hoping to plant forever roots here. That represents the third-best start to a head coaching career in Big Ten history. The Illini were ranked in the AP Top 25 for five straight weeks, reaching as high as No. Bielema spent the previous three seasons before Illinois in the National Football League. It feels like were home again. Illinois coach Bret Bielema had a triumphant return to Camp Randall Stadium because he's helped make the Fighting Illini physical enough to beat Wisconsin at its own game. In the weekly press conference on Monday afternoon, Illinois football head coach Bret Bielema made some headlines. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. A weekly press conference is not the place to spew feelings about what you think about the roster. Our sister stations: @whms975 & @wkio1079. dy5fZGlkQXN5bmNJbmplY3RHb29nbGVUYWdNYW5hZ2VyID0gdHJ1ZTsKICAg Zack Carpenter is the publisher of Inside Nebraska. I think you have to break the press conference clip down into two parts. Bret Arnold Bielema (/ b i l m /; born January 13, 1970) is an American football coach. But most importantly, Champaign feels like the Bielemas forever home. Defeated Northwestern since November 29th, 2014; Had an undefeated non-conference season since 2011 (Arkansas . . They shouldn't even vote on it. [45] Illinois accepted an invitation to the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa on January 2, against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. My youngest, Brexli, was like, Daddy, are you coming with? We came back to my hotel for a minute, then tonight when we were putting them down, I had to come back to the office and make some recruiting calls. Nov. 16, 2021 4:24 pm, Updated: Nov. 16, 2021 5:16 pm. Its simply unbeatable. Illinois football coach Bret Bielema leads his family and players onto the court during a break in a the first half of an NCAA college . Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onIllinois Fighting Illini and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. . Illinois' five All-Americans included Witherspoon, who was the first Illini defensive back in history to be named a Consensus All-American, RB Chase Brown, DB Sydney Brown, DT Jer'Zhan Newton, and OL Alex Palczewski, who was the first Illini offensive tackle in history to earn a first team All-America honor. However, paying football coach Bret Bielema $4.2 million a year the highest salary of all University employees isn't going to save Illinois football. During this stretch, Bielema would step to the stage on Mondays and talk about areas of improvement and how this is a process. Check out every game of the Arkansas basketball season, released at last, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. And thus far, the Illini have over-delivered, thanks in large part to the stellar play of a no-touchdown, bend but dont break, defense, along with an offensive ground-and-pound rushing attack, led by Chase Brown. If things continue on the current trajectory, he's going to be up for a lot of awards. [35] According to Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman, school officials decided to announce the firing after the game so he could have a chance to address the team one last time before they headed home for Thanksgiving. If he could be in two places at once, I know that he would love that, as many of us would. Your account has an invalid email address. He wasthe outside linebackers coach and senior assistant for the New York Giants during the 2020 season. CHAMPAIGN When Bret Bielema took over as Illinois football coach, he wanted to make one thing clear: He wants to turn the Illini into a consistent, regular winner. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. The date is October 15, and the Illini have a chance to reach heights that looked improbable just 11 months ago. So that broke my heart a lot during our time away, because I could see it sometimes in the car. Bret Bielema had his weekly press conference on Monday and talked about the status of his star running back, Chase Brown, and what he thinks of Michigan. After inheriting a depleted roster and enduring a difficult first season, he led the Razorbacks to three consecutive bowl games, including victories against Texas in 2014 and Kansas State in 2015. Bielema coached Wisconsin to victories in 17 of his first 18 games. Wisconsin fired Paul Chryst after Saturday's 34-10 loss to Bielema's Illinois squad. The Illini finished 8-4 and will play Mississippi State on Jan. 2 in the ReliaQuest Bowl, just the team's fifth postseason appearance since reaching the 2008 Rose Bowl. The losses led to the replacement of Defensive Coordinator Robb Smith with former Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads, and other staff changes pointing to a change to a 3-4 defensive scheme.