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Bret Bielema

Updated: Wikipedia source

Bret Bielema

Bret Arnold Bielema (; born January 13, 1970) is an American football coach who is the head football coach at The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a position he has held since the 2021 season. He served as the head coach at Wisconsin from 2006 to 2012, achieving a 68–24 record and taking them to three straight Rose Bowl Games and at Arkansas from 2013 to 2017, tallying a mark of 29–34. Bielema was an assistant coach in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons, in 2018 and 2019 with the New England Patriots and in 2020 with the New York Giants.

Infobox

1994
Milwaukee Mustangs
2018
New England Patriots (consultant to HC)
2019
New England Patriots (DL)
2020
New York Giants (OLB)
Title
Head coach
Team
Illinois
Conference
Big Ten
Record
36–26
Annual salary
$7.7 million
Born
(1970-01-13) January 13, 1970 (age 55)Silvis, Illinois, U.S.
1989–1992
Iowa
Position
Nose guard
1994–1995
Iowa (GA)
1996–2001
Iowa (LB)
2002–2003
Kansas State (co-DC)
2004–2005
Wisconsin (DC)
2006–2012
Wisconsin
2013–2017
Arkansas
2021–present
Illinois
Overall
133–84
Bowls
5–6

Tables

· Head coaching record
Wisconsin Badgers (Big Ten Conference) (2006–2012)
Wisconsin Badgers (Big Ten Conference) (2006–2012)
Year
Wisconsin Badgers (Big Ten Conference) (2006–2012)
2006
2006
Year
2006
Team
Wisconsin
Overall
12–1
Conference
7–1
Standing
T–2nd
Bowl/playoffs
W Capital One
Coaches#
5
AP°
7
2007
2007
Year
2007
Team
Wisconsin
Overall
9–4
Conference
5–3
Standing
4th
Bowl/playoffs
L Outback
Coaches#
21
AP°
24
2008
2008
Year
2008
Team
Wisconsin
Overall
7–6
Conference
3–5
Standing
T–6th
Bowl/playoffs
L Champs Sports
2009
2009
Year
2009
Team
Wisconsin
Overall
10–3
Conference
5–3
Standing
T–4th
Bowl/playoffs
W Champs Sports
Coaches#
16
AP°
16
2010
2010
Year
2010
Team
Wisconsin
Overall
11–2
Conference
7–1
Standing
T–1st
Bowl/playoffs
L Rose†
Coaches#
8
AP°
7
2011
2011
Year
2011
Team
Wisconsin
Overall
11–3
Conference
6–2
Standing
1st (Leaders)
Bowl/playoffs
L Rose†
Coaches#
11
AP°
10
2012
2012
Year
2012
Team
Wisconsin
Overall
8–5
Conference
4–4
Standing
3rd (Leaders)
Bowl/playoffs
Rose ‡†
Wisconsin:
Wisconsin:
Year
Wisconsin:
Team
68–24
Overall
37–19
Conference
‡Did not coach bowl game.
Arkansas Razorbacks (Southeastern Conference) (2013–2017)
Arkansas Razorbacks (Southeastern Conference) (2013–2017)
Year
Arkansas Razorbacks (Southeastern Conference) (2013–2017)
2013
2013
Year
2013
Team
Arkansas
Overall
3–9
Conference
0–8
Standing
7th (Western)
2014
2014
Year
2014
Team
Arkansas
Overall
7–6
Conference
2–6
Standing
7th (Western)
Bowl/playoffs
W Texas
2015
2015
Year
2015
Team
Arkansas
Overall
8–5
Conference
5–3
Standing
T–3rd (Western)
Bowl/playoffs
W Liberty
2016
2016
Year
2016
Team
Arkansas
Overall
7–6
Conference
3–5
Standing
T–5th (Western)
Bowl/playoffs
L Belk
2017
2017
Year
2017
Team
Arkansas
Overall
4–8
Conference
1–7
Standing
7th (Western)
Arkansas:
Arkansas:
Year
Arkansas:
Team
29–34
Overall
11–29
Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten Conference) (2021–present)
Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten Conference) (2021–present)
Year
Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten Conference) (2021–present)
2021
2021
Year
2021
Team
Illinois
Overall
5–7
Conference
4–5
Standing
5th (West)
2022
2022
Year
2022
Team
Illinois
Overall
8–5
Conference
5–4
Standing
T–2nd (West)
Bowl/playoffs
L ReliaQuest
2023
2023
Year
2023
Team
Illinois
Overall
5–7
Conference
3–6
Standing
T–4th (West)
2024
2024
Year
2024
Team
Illinois
Overall
10–3
Conference
6–3
Standing
T–5th
Bowl/playoffs
W Citrus
Coaches#
16
AP°
16
2025
2025
Year
2025
Team
Illinois
Overall
8–4
Conference
5–4
Standing
T–7th
Bowl/playoffs
Music City
Illinois:
Illinois:
Year
Illinois:
Team
36–26
Overall
23–22
Total:
Total:
Year
Total:
Team
133–84
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
Year
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
mw- .mw- †Indicates BCS or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. #Rankings from final Coaches Poll. °Rankings from final AP Poll.
mw- .mw- †Indicates BCS or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. #Rankings from final Coaches Poll. °Rankings from final AP Poll.
Year
mw- .mw- †Indicates BCS or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. #Rankings from final Coaches Poll. °Rankings from final AP Poll.
Year
Team
Overall
Conference
Standing
Bowl/playoffs
Coaches#
AP°
Wisconsin Badgers (Big Ten Conference) (2006–2012)
2006
Wisconsin
12–1
7–1
T–2nd
W Capital One
5
7
2007
Wisconsin
9–4
5–3
4th
L Outback
21
24
2008
Wisconsin
7–6
3–5
T–6th
L Champs Sports
2009
Wisconsin
10–3
5–3
T–4th
W Champs Sports
16
16
2010
Wisconsin
11–2
7–1
T–1st
L Rose†
8
7
2011
Wisconsin
11–3
6–2
1st (Leaders)
L Rose†
11
10
2012
Wisconsin
8–5
4–4
3rd (Leaders)
Rose ‡†
Wisconsin:
68–24
37–19
‡Did not coach bowl game.
Arkansas Razorbacks (Southeastern Conference) (2013–2017)
2013
Arkansas
3–9
0–8
7th (Western)
2014
Arkansas
7–6
2–6
7th (Western)
W Texas
2015
Arkansas
8–5
5–3
T–3rd (Western)
W Liberty
2016
Arkansas
7–6
3–5
T–5th (Western)
L Belk
2017
Arkansas
4–8
1–7
7th (Western)
Arkansas:
29–34
11–29
Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten Conference) (2021–present)
2021
Illinois
5–7
4–5
5th (West)
2022
Illinois
8–5
5–4
T–2nd (West)
L ReliaQuest
2023
Illinois
5–7
3–6
T–4th (West)
2024
Illinois
10–3
6–3
T–5th
W Citrus
16
16
2025
Illinois
8–4
5–4
T–7th
Music City
Illinois:
36–26
23–22
Total:
133–84
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth
mw- †Indicates BCS or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. from final Coaches Poll. °Rankings from final AP Poll.

References

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    https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/bret-bielemas-hometown-roots-still-strong-long-after-illinois-football-coach-left-prophetstown/
  2. Hawk Fanatic
    https://hawkfanatic.com/2022/10/07/a-look-at-bret-bielemas-incredible-journey-from-iowa-walk-on-to-illinois-head-coach/
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  32. Eleven Warriors
    https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/2015/09/59185/bert-bielema-already-has-a-reason-for-why-his-team-wont-make-the-college-football-playoff
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  65. "Am told Arkansas fired Bret Bielema right after the game because his players were scattering and leaving town for the holiday weekend. And did it that way because they did not want them to hear on social media or via group text"
    https://x.com/BruceFeldmanCFB/status/934230215030554625
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  69. NFL.com
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  83. The News-Gazette
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  84. The Quad-City Times
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  85. Madison.com
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  86. University of Wisconsin
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  87. Twitter
    https://mobile.twitter.com/jenbielema/status/1108157359245967360
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