Mostly sunny. High 67F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..
Clear skies. Low around 35F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
Updated: October 23, 2024 @ 12:11 pm
With his family nearby — daughter Briella in his arms, his wife, Jen and daughter Brexli just to the right of him — a happy Bret Bielema walks off a crowded Memorial Stadium field after his Illini beat Michigan 21-7 this past Saturday afternoon in Champaign.
College Football Reporter/Columnist
With his family nearby — daughter Briella in his arms, his wife, Jen and daughter Brexli just to the right of him — a happy Bret Bielema walks off a crowded Memorial Stadium field after his Illini beat Michigan 21-7 this past Saturday afternoon in Champaign.
To subscribe, click here.
To submit a letter to the editor, click here.
To pitch a ‘My Turn’ guest column, email jdalessio@news-gazette.com.
Want to purchase today’s print edition? Here’s a map of single-copy locations.
Sign up for our daily newsletter here
CHAMPAIGN — The Bielemas might already have the perfect photo for this year’s family Christmas card. Or at least a top contender.
Just after Illinois thrilled its fan base with a dominating win Saturday against Michigan, coach Bret Bielema held daughter Brexli in his arms with wife Jen and daughter Briella nearby. They waved to their adoring public at Memorial Stadium.
Fortunately, photos — and videos — were taken.
It is a good time to be in charge of the Illinois football program. The Illini are 6-1, including 3-1 in Big Ten play, ranked No. 20 in the nation and about to play No. 1 Oregon (7-0, 4-0) at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. Illinois has already clinched a bowl bid, checking off one of its goals.
Bielema had success before he came to Illinois, winning Big Ten titles while at Wisconsin.
But those came before he was a father.
What it is like to celebrate with his preteens Briella and Brexli?
“It just makes those moments that much more special,” Bielema said. “Listen, I love every moment of winning with our team. I think our guys feel that.”
Being joyful about important life moments has always been part of Bielema’s program. Bielema was a younger head coach at Wisconsin when he shared the news about his engagement to Jen.
“The place went crazy,” Bielema said. “Aaron Henry (now Illinois defensive coordinator) was a player and he came up to me and gave me a hug and said, ‘Congratulations.’ It made a statement to me that when I have a family, I want our (football) family to see me with my family. That’s a big one.”
The timing of Saturday’s game against Michigan worked out great for the Bielemas.
“We didn’t have any dance conflicts or gymnastics,” Bielema said. “The girls were talking all week about getting to go my game, the whole game.”
Brexli and Briella were part of the Illini Walk beforehand.
It was Jen’s idea to have the family celebrate with the fans at the northeast tower of Memorial Stadium.
“Brexli was high-fiving fans like she was a seasoned NFL vet,” Bielema said. “They were pretty excited. … A special day on many levels.”
Current Illinois offensive line coach Bart Miller was on Bielema’s staff at Wisconsin in 2010 and 2011. That was before Bielema became a dad.
Has the head coach changed?
“I see a guy that’s matured through life,” Miller said. “But at the same time, he’s always been a leader. He’s been a leader of his family, been a leader of the team.”
Miller was a graduate assistant at first, which meant a small salary. He was married to wife Amy and the couple didn’t have kids yet.
“(Bielema) would do little things for you that nobody has to do,” Miller said. “He’d put down a little cash and say, ‘Take your wife out tonight.’ He took care of you. I always saw that mentor figure from him.
“It doesn’t surprise me in the least that he is such a doting father. When we were together the first time, neither of us had kids.”
Bart and Amy have two sons, Barrett and Gunner, with both attending the same school as Briella and Brexli.
“They interact with each other,” Miller said.
Miller always thought Bielema would be a good father.
“He’s a good man, and I think those traits carry over,” Miller said.
Bielema’s current staff has oodles of kids.
“We talk about family in the program and that can be either a recruiting pitch or really what we’re all about,” Miller said. “I lost a member of my family last year and Coach was great about those important things in life and being with those you love.
“There are things that are above football, and he runs his program like that.”
Current Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. served on Bielema’s staff as tight ends coach with the Razorbacks.
The family theme at Illinois “is not just a slogan,” Lunney said.
“Our families feel a part and very vested in what we’re doing,” Lunney continued. “At the end of a day, it’s a feeling that’s put into action because Coach has an unbelievable ability to connect to everybody in the building, including the extended part of us, which is our families and know what’s going on in their world.”
Lunney and wife Janelle have two sons, Luke and Levi.
“When I used to work for him at Arkansas, I would see him and he would say, ‘Tell me a Luke Lunney story,’” Lunney said. “When my boys were young, we had entertaining stories.”
Lunney sees the same kind of interaction between Bielema and the rest of the staff and their kids.
“It’s a real thing for us,” he said.
Is Bielema the dad different?
“Absolutely,” Lunney said. “He’s a tremendous father and he cares for his daughters.
“I’ve heard him say this, ‘When you worked for me and I didn’t have children, I didn’t have full perspective of what you guys went through until I had my own.’ He knows how to treat people. Families and our families are a part of that for sure.”
Bob Asmussen is a college football reporter and columnist for The News-Gazette. He can be reached at 217-393-8248 or asmussen@news-gazette.com.
“
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
