Bret Bielema
Head Coach at Illinois since 2021.
Sign in to follow
Sign in to contribute a correction
- Seasons coached
- 33
- First season
- 1994
- Teams
- 7
Career
11 stints
- 1994–1995IowaGraduate Assistant
- 1996–2001IowaLinebackers
- 2002–2003Kansas StateCo-Defensive Coordinator
- 2004–2005WisconsinDefensive CoordinatorInside Linebackers
- 2006–2012WisconsinHead Coach
- 2013–2017ArkansasHead Coach
- 2017ArkansasAssistant Coach
- 2018New England PatriotsAssistant Coach
- 2019New England PatriotsDefensive Line
- 2020New York GiantsOutside Linebackers
- 2021–presentIllinoisHead Coach
Coaching tree
7 mentors, 149 protégés, 14 branches — a branch is a protégé who went on to hold a head job.
MentorsProtégés
Everyone shown became a head coachShowing up to 7 per row · Capped at 500 people
Relationships
Coached under
166
- 2026Ally KriefskiMentored · Illinois
- 2026Ayden KnapikMentored · Illinois
- 2026Ben DessauerMentored · Illinois
- 2026Bobby HauckMentored · Illinois
- 2026Caleb WoodMentored · Illinois
- 2026Chase BrittMentored · Illinois
- 2026Chase LouthanMentored · Illinois
- 2026CJ McFarlandMentored · Illinois
- 2026DeShawn HaneyMentored · Illinois
- 2026Devin McKeoughMentored · Illinois
- 2026Drake LeeperMentored · Illinois
- 2026Eddie SimpkinsMentored · Illinois
- 2026GC YerryMentored · Illinois
- 2026Jake AnthonyMentored · Illinois
- 2026Jake RoschMentored · Illinois
151 more, most recent shown first.
Succeeded
30
- 2021Lovie SmithSucceeded · Illinois
- 2021Rod SmithSucceeded · Illinois
- 2020Mike DawsonSucceeded · New York Giants
- 2018Chad MorrisSucceeded by · Arkansas
- 2017Barry Lunney Jr.Succeeded by · Arkansas
- 2017Barry Lunney Jr.Succeeded · Arkansas
- 2017Ben HerbertSucceeded · Arkansas
- 2017Chad Walker (Outside Linebackers)Succeeded · Arkansas
- 2017Chad Walker (Outside Linebackers)Succeeded by · Arkansas
- 2017Dan EnosSucceeded · Arkansas
- 2017Dan EnosSucceeded by · Arkansas
- 2017John Scott Jr. (Defensive Line)Succeeded · Arkansas
- 2017John Scott Jr. (Defensive Line)Succeeded by · Arkansas
- 2017Kurt AndersonSucceeded · Arkansas
- 2017Michael Scott (Wide Receivers)Succeeded · Arkansas
15 more, most recent shown first.
Tenure
33 seasons
- WisconsinHead coach · 2006–20127
- IllinoisHead coach · 2021–2026 · current6
- IowaPosition coach · 1996–20016
- ArkansasHead coach · 2013–20175
- New England PatriotsPosition coach · 2018–20192
- WisconsinCoordinator · 2004–20052
- Kansas StateCoordinator · 2002–20032
- IowaAnalyst · 1994–19952
- New York GiantsPosition coach · 20201
- ArkansasPosition coach · 20171
Pipeline
8 of 30 coordinators
- 1 seasonRyan Waltersunder at Illinois 2021 · head coach at Purdue2023
- 5 seasonsSam Pittmanunder at Arkansas 2013 · head coach at Arkansas2020
- 7 seasonsThomas Hammockunder at Wisconsin 2011 · head coach at Northern Illinois2019
- 6 seasonsMatt Canadaunder at Wisconsin 2012 · head coach at Maryland2018
- 4 seasonsChris Ashunder at Wisconsin 2010 · head coach at Rutgers2016
- 3 seasonsChris Ashunder at Arkansas 2013 · head coach at Rutgers2016
- 1 seasonCharlie Partridgeunder at Arkansas 2013 · head coach at Florida Atlantic2014
- 2 seasonsCharlie Partridgeunder at Wisconsin 2008 · head coach at Florida Atlantic2014
- 1 seasonPaul Chrystunder at Wisconsin 2006 · head coach at Pittsburgh2012
- 1 seasonDave Doerenunder at Wisconsin 2006 · head coach at Northern Illinois2011
Moves
Nothing on the wire for Bret Bielema. The wire carries moves published since the register went live; the career above is the record before that.