Bret Bielema | Bio

Douglas C. and Linda M. Mills Endowed Head Football Coach
Fifth Season in 2025
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 133-84 (.613) 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 36 wins, 23 Big Ten victories, and a victory in the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl to give Illinois its fifth 10-win season in program history. He has brought national relevance to the Fighting Illini program with continued appearances in the AP Top 25 and College Football Playoff rankings, two New Year’s Bowls, three national award finalists, 11 All-Americans, and 12 NFL Draft picks since he arrived in 2021.

Bielema has led Illinois to more wins than any coach in program history through his first five seasons. The Illini have won 18 games over the last two seasons, tying the Illinois record for wins in a two-year period — a record the Illini will look to break in Nashville.

Bielema will tie the Illinois record for bowl games coached with his third, after guiding Illinois to the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl, Illinois' first January bowl in 15 years, the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, and the 2025 Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl. In Nashville, Bielema is looking to become the first head coach in Illinois history to win bowl games in back-to-back seasons.

In addition to the program's on-the-field success, Illinois has experienced the 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 65% from 2021 to 2025, ranking Illinois among the best in the nation in fan support. This season, 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.

In 2024, Illinois tied the program record for wins with 10, was ranked by the CFP selection committee for a program-record four straight weeks, appeared in 11 AP Top 25 polls, and tied the program record for ranked wins with four. The Fighting Illini capped one of the best seasons in program history by beating #14 South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, 21-17, in one of the top bowl game victories in Illinois history.

Bielema has also turned Illinois into one of the top programs in producing NFL talent. Illinois is one of five schools with three or more players drafted in the first three rounds in both the 2023 and 2024 NFL Drafts, along with Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Penn State. Overall, Bielema has sent over 160 players to the NFL during his career as a head coach. 

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). Bielema then spent five seasons as head coach at Arkansas from 2013-17. After inheriting a depleted roster, he led the Razorbacks to three consecutive bowl games from 2014-16, including victories against Texas in 2014 and Kansas State in 2015.

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 - Director of Operations
Tank Wright - Director of Football Strength and Conditioning
GC Yerry - Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning
Matt Manninger - Assistant Strength Coach
Nick Elicone - Assistant Strength Coach
Tyler Mayo - Assistant Strength Coach
Santos Ramirez - Strength and Conditioning Intern
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
Olivia Gilles - Football Nutrition Fellow
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
Shari Atwell - Office Administrator