Bret Arnold Bielema (/ ˈbiːləmɑː /; born January 13, 1970) is an American football coach. He is the head football coach at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a position he has held since the 2021 season.

Bielema, who signed a six-year agreement in 2022 that will keep him at Illinois through 2028, has elevated Illinois to new heights during his first four seasons with 28 wins, 18 Big Ten victories, and a victory in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl to give Illinois its fifth 10-win season in program history.

4 days ago · Illinois coach Bret Bielema is feeling great. The Illini are coming off their first 10-win season since 2001. A junior day over the weekend had more than a dozen of the top local prospects on campus.

Jan 1, 2025 · Illinois football coach Bret Bielema met with the media following the Fighting Illini's 21-17 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Citrus Bowl. Here is the full transcript of what the Illinois coach had to say in the news conference, starting with his opening statement:

Oct 30, 2024 · Although Bielema, whose Illinois record sits at 24-20 entering Illinois' ninth game against Minnesota Saturday (noon ET, FS1), has yet to comment on Dodd's outlook, he took a minute Monday to...

Illinois football coach Bret Bielema on Sunday met with local media for the first time since the Citrus Bowl to update the Illini's offseason, which has included 11 transfer additions and a big ...

Dec 30, 2024 · Bret Bielema told local media how critical a victory against South Carolina would be in propelling Illinois to further heights. Illinois is seeking its first 10-win season since 2001, the...

Oct 25, 2024 · Bret Bielema is the first Illinois coach since the late 1980s with a winning record. We shouldn't be surprised what he's doing in the Big Ten after what he accomplished at Wisconsin.

Jan 26, 2025 · Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema celebrates a 50-49 win over the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium.

Dec 20, 2022 · Bielema, who is 13-11 in his second season at Illinois, will receive an annual salary increase from $4.3 million this season to $6 million in the new agreement, which is pending board...