The Illini entered into a new era for the program on Dec. 19, 2020 with the hiring and arrival of head coach Bret Bielema. An Illinois native and longtime coach at the collegiate and professional levels, Bielema brought new energy to Champaign.
Instantly connecting and establishing relationships with the Illini squad, Bielema brought back an experienced, connected roster in his first season at Illinois in 2021.
“We had a great relationship. We talked on the phone a bunch, and he recruited me to come back,” said Jake Hansen, who returned for his sixth season with the Illini in 2021 before heading to the NFL with the Houston Texans. “I was very happy I made the decision, and Coach B is a great coach and great recruiter. He kind of opened up a new world for me, and it was pretty cool to learn from him.”
Adams also opted to use his extra year of eligibility and play his final season at the collegiate level under the new Illini head coach. Trusting Bielema’s experience and wealth of knowledge, Adams says it was a no-brainer to close out his time at Illinois under Coach B’s guidance.
“He came in talking ball. I knew he knew about the game and could teach me something about the game,” Adams said. “I loved the physicality that he made us practice with and made us play with. He brought in some great coaches who did a great job. They did a great job of basically helping us transform this program. I think he's a great coach.”
The Illini opened the Bielema era with a 30-22 win over Nebraska at Memorial Stadium in front of the program’s largest home crowd in two years. While that season was highlighted by a nine- overtime victory at No. 7 Penn State in the longest game in college football history, Illinois closed Bielema’s debut campaign with a dominant 47-14 triumph over Northwestern to reclaim the Land of Lincoln Trophy after a six-year drought.
Ahead of the 2022 season, Zuppke Field at Memorial Stadium received new turf, which featured the program’s new brand and identity: #famILLy. Featured on both sidelines and behind the south end zone, the word helped reinvigorate the program under Bielema’s tutelage.
Carrying momentum into the 2022 campaign, the Orange and Blue went unbeaten in non- conference play for the first time in over a decade and got off to a 7-1 start, a stretch that included a six-game winning streak. Illinois secured home wins over Wyoming, Virginia, Chattanooga, Iowa, and Minnesota to begin the year, while the Homecoming victory over the Golden Gophers confirmed bowl eligibility for the first time since 2019.
The Illini moved into the AP rankings for the first time since the 2011 season, and they climbed as high as No. 14 in mid-November. Earning a spot in the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time in program history when they came in at No. 16, the Orange and Blue eventually earned a berth in the ReliaQuest Bowl in its first January bowl appearance since the 2008 Rose Bowl.
