Bret Bielema | Bio

Douglas C. and Linda M. Mills Endowed Head Football Coach
Sixth Season in 2026
X: @BretBielema

Bret Bielema was named as the 26th Fighting Illini Head Football Coach in the history of the program in December 2020. A native of Prophetstown, Illinois, Bielema has 27 years of collegiate coaching experience and compiled a 17-year record of 134-84 (.615) as head coach at Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Illinois.

Bielema, who signed a six-year agreement in 2025 that will keep him at Illinois through 2030, has elevated Illinois to new heights during his first five seasons with 37 wins, 23 Big Ten victories, and bowl victories in the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl and 2025 Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl. He has brought national relevance to the Fighting Illini program with continued appearances in the AP Top 25, Coaches Poll, and College Football Playoff rankings, three bowl games, three national award finalists, 14 All-Americans, and 12 NFL Draft picks since he arrived in 2021.

Bielema has led Illinois to its winningest five-year stretch (37 wins) since 1901-05 and more wins through his first five seasons than any coach in program history. The Illini have won 19 games over the last two seasons, setting the Illinois record for wins in a two-year period, after the first back-to-back 9+-win seasons in program history. He owns the Illinois records for bowl victories, bowl games coached, single-season wins, and wins in a head coach's first five seasons, plus he is the first head coach in Illinois history to win bowl games in back-to-back seasons. Bielema has guided Illinois to the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl, Illinois' first January bowl in 15 years, the 2024 Citrus Bowl, and 2025 Music City Bowl.

In addition to the program's on-the-field success, Illinois has experienced the second-largest growth in attendance in the nation and the largest growth in the Big Ten by a wide margin since Bielema's arrival. Average attendance increased by more than 23,00 per game from 2021 to 2025, a 65% boost that ranks Illinois among the best in the nation in fan support. In 2025, Illinois sold out of season tickets for the first time in at least 20 years and the Fighting Illini's final season attendance topped 400,000 for the first time since 1994. Financially, football ticket sales increased to a program-record $15 million during the 2025 fiscal year, which led Illinois to top its departmental record for revenue. 

Bielema's coaching pedigree and list of football mentors match that of any coach in the nation. He played for and coached under Hall-of-Famer Hayden Fry, spent two years as co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State under Hall-of-Famer Bill Snyder, was the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin under Hall-of-Famer Barry Alvarez, and won a Super Bowl under Bill Belichick in New England.

In 17 years as a Power-4 head coach, Bielema has led 13 of his teams - including the 2025 Illinois squad - to bowl games.

Assistant Coaches

Staff

Mark Taurisani - Associate Director of Athletics, Football Chief of Staff
Peter Weiden - Assistant Director of Athletics, Football Operations
Tank Wright - Director of Football Strength and Conditioning
GC Yerry - Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning
Nick Elicone - Assistant Strength Coach
Patrick Embleton - General Manager
Nate McNeal - Executive Director of Player Evaluations and Acquisitions
Patrick Pierson - Director of Football Branding and Creative Media
Pat Ryan - Director of Illinois High School Relations
Drake Leeper - Director of Recruiting
Jon Proto - Director of College Scouting/NFL Liaison
Terry Hawthorne - Director of Defensive Player Personnel
Eddie Simpkins - Director of Offensive Player Personnel
Natalie Woch - Director of Recruiting Operations
Ben Dessauer - Player Personnel Assistant
Quentin Singleton - Operations and Recruiting Assistant
Aaron Quinn - Director of Football Graphic Design
Caleb Wood - Director of Football Creative Video
Joe Maggio - Director of Video
Brendan McGuire - Assistant Director of Football Video
Jake Rosch - Director of Football Equipment Operations
Devin McKeough - Assistant Equipment Manager
Jake Anthony - Director of Football Performance Nutrition
Jordan Giese - Assistant Performance Dietitian
Chase Louthan - Head Football Athletic Trainer
Chase Britt - Assistant Athletic Trainer
Rian Healy - Assistant Athletic Trainer
Ally Kriefski - Assistant Athletic Trainer
Zac Williams - Assistant Athletic Trainer
Megan Rosch - Associate Director Financial Operations
Shari Atwell - Office Administrator