CHAMPAIGN â Bret Bielema spent the last three seasons working for somebody else. First, Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots. Then, Joe Judge with the New York Giants.
Bielema, the new coach at Illinois, doesnât have a full staff ready to make the move to Champaign-Urbana.
And thatâs OK. The former Wisconsin and Arkansas leader knows what he is looking for when it comes to his 10 assistants. And how he is going to go about finding the right guys.
Heâs learned valuable lessons during a career that dates back to his time as an Iowa graduate assistant in 1994-95.