Enjoyable Info about IL Headvert Coach Bret Bielema:

1.   While the Arkansas HC (2013-2017), he recruited to his soccer program RB Alex Collins (2013-2015), the place Collins had three 1,000-yard seasons (Rushing/Receiving:   1,026/63; 1,100/9; 1,577/95).   

…….. Sidenotes about Alex Collins (only for the remembrance of Collins)

A.  RB Alex Collins, in 2015, grew to become solely the third participant in SEC historical past to hurry for 1,000 plus yards in three seasons, becoming a member of Herschel Walker and Darren McFadden.   Collins is second on the Razorback profession dashing yards checklist (3,703), behind solely Darren McFadden (4,590).

B.  In the 2016 NFL Draft, the Seahawks drafted RB Alex Collins with the decide 5.171.  Collins performed for the Seahawks in 2016.   He, nevertheless, was lower by the Seahawks through the remaining cuts on September 2, 2017, then being claimed by the Ravens on September 5, 2017.  On September 16, 2017, Ravens’ HC John Harbough named Collins his RB3 on the energetic roster (the change of tempo RB).  

Collins entered the 2018 season slated because the Ravens beginning RB. He began 10 video games, recording 411 dashing yards whereas getting seven touchdowns together with 15 receptions for 105 yards whereas getting one TD.  On December 18, 2018, the Ravens positioned Collins on IR for a foot harm.   For some authorized troubles in March 2019, he was out of the NFL for a spell.  

On November 4, 2020, Seahawks’ HC Pete Carroll signed Collins.   Collins performed for the Seahawks in 2020 and in 2021.     

C. On January 14, 2023, Collins signed with the Showboats of the USFL.  On April 29, 2023, in a sport in opposition to the Gamblers, he threw a landing move.  On May 4, 2023, Collins was positioned on IR.

D.  On the night of August 13, 2023, Collins was killed in a visitors collision in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, on the night of August 13, 2023, when the bike that he was driving crashed into the rear passenger aspect of an SUV at excessive velocity.  He was pronounced useless on the scene, and it was later reported that he doubtless died immediately.   

Back to Coach Bret Bielema

2.  For the 2018 NFL season, Bret Bielema grew to become a guide for the Patriots.  For the 2019 season, the Patriots made Bielema its DC.   For the 2020 season, the Giants made Bielema its Outside LBs Coach.   

3.  In 2021, Bielema grew to become the HC of the Illinois soccer program.    At this program was CB Devon Witherspoon (2019-2022 at IL), who Bielema helped coach up into being an important faculty soccer participant.    Witherspoon was chosen by the Seahawks within the 2023 NFL Draft at 1.5.   

4.  Bret Bielema grew up on an 80-acre hog farm close to Prophetstown, Illinois with brothers Bart and Barry.   Each of the brothers competed in soccer, observe, and wrestling.   Bret attended Prophetstown HS in Prophetstown, IL.  He performed TE and LB in HS. Bielema walked on as a defensive lineman on the University of Iowa underneath coach Hayden Fry, enjoying from 1989 to 1992.  He lettered 4 years, earned a scholarship and served as workforce captain his senior season.  Bielema was a part of the 1990 Iowa workforce that received a share of the Big Ten championship title.  In his senior season, after Iowa beat Iowa State 21–7, Bielema approached Iowa State HC Jim Walden for a post-game handshake and mentioned “You’re a big prick. It’s been a pleasure kicking your ass the last five years” (Iowa State had by no means crushed Iowa throughout Bielema’s tenure with the workforce). The second prompted a substantial stir, with University of Iowa officers reprimanding Bielema and sending an official letter of apology to Walden. Bielema graduated from Iowa with a bachelor’s diploma in advertising.

5. Bret Bielema’s time as a Seahawks Player himself

After going undrafted within the 1993 NFL draft, Bielema signed as a FA with the Seahawks.  He stayed with the Seahawks after the 1993 Seahawks rookie camp.   (In 1993, the Seahawks’ proprietor was Ken Behring, and its HC was Tom Flores.)  During the summer season of 1993, Bielema was lower by the Seahawks.   (Without placing phrases into Bielema’s mouth, he speaks about his time as a Seahawks as being one for which he has all the time been grateful. 

6.  In 1994, Bielema performed for the Mustangs, a workforce within the Arena Football League.  

7.   In the autumn of 1994, Bielema returned to Iowa, his alma mater (nourishing mom), to start his teaching profession underneath Fry as a graduate assistant.  In 1996, he was promoted to LB coach, a job he would maintain till 2001.   In 1998, Fry retired and was changed by former Iowa O-Line Coach Kirk Ferentz, who had briefly coached Bielema in offensive line units throughout preparation for the 1988 Peach Bowl.

8.  Bielema, one of many main recruiters on Fry’s workers, continued on the highway recruiting through the teaching search.  Ferentz retained solely Bielema and quarterbacks coach Chuck Long from Fry’s workers.   During his three years with Ferentz at Iowa, Bielema recruited a number of gamers, most from Florida, that may kind a part of the core of the 2002 Iowa workforce, together with Heisman runner-up quarterback Brad Banks, huge receivers C. J. Jones and Maurice Brown, nostril deal with Colin Cole, cornerback Antwan Allen, and linebackers Fred Barr and Abdul Hodge. 

9.  After the 2001 season, Bielema grew to become co-defensive coordinator for the Kansas State Wildcats, coached by Bill Snyder, who had coached at Iowa with Fry for a decade.  Bielema and Bob Elliott changed Phil Bennett, who had left to turn into the pinnacle coach of the SMU Mustangs.  Bielema coached the Ok-State protection for 2 seasons, serving to the Wildcats win the 2003 Big XII Championship.

10.  Bielema left Kansas State after the 2003 season to turn into the Wisconsin defensive coordinator underneath HC Barry Alvarez, who had additionally coached at Iowa underneath Fry.  Bielema served as DC for 2 seasons.  In July 2005, Alvarez introduced he would retire after the 2005 season and turn into the Badgers athletic director.   Alvarez additionally introduced he had chosen Bielema as his successor, and Bielema would take over as HC in 2006. In 2010, 2011, and in 2012, Bielema coached Wisconsin into the Rose Bowl, getting a victory within the 2012 Rose Bowl.  (2011 Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson introduced his workforce into the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2012, to face the Oregon Ducks.  In that sport, Wilson had 19 move completions on 25 makes an attempt for 296 yards, 18 dashing yards, and three touchdowns (two passing, one dashing) because the Badgers misplaced by a rating of 45–38 (within the remaining moments after a snap didn’t get off well timed).  Wilson completed the 2011 season with 33 passing touchdowns, which set the one season report at Wisconsin and was the second-most in Big Ten historical past behind Drew Brees through the 1998 season at Purdue (39).  In 2011, Wilson additionally set the one season FBS report for passing effectivity (191.8).  On January 28, 2012, Wilson, as a Wisconsin participant, accomplished his faculty soccer profession on the 2012 Senior Bowl.  In the 2012 NFL Draft, the Seahawks chosen Wilson at 3.75.

11.  On December 4, 2012, it was introduced that Bielema was leaving Wisconsin to turn into the HC of the Arkansas Razorbacks.  He left partly to teach within the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and partly as a result of he felt that his assistant coaches weren’t being paid sufficient at Wisconsin.     He stayed with Arkansas as its HC by the 2017 faculty season.  (The remainder of his teaching historical past was advised earlier above).

12.   As a university soccer HC, Bielema has a 134-84 report, whereas at Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Illinois.   

Important: With former Seahawks’ QB Russell Wilson just lately retiring from NFL soccer and with present Seahawks’ CB Devon Witherspoon serving to the ’25 Seahawks win the 2026 Super Bowl, it could certain be good to see a neighborhood Seahawks’ podcaster interview the school coach (Coach Bret Bielema) who coached each Wilson and Witherspoon.  (Witherspoon got here to the Seahawks by a decide obtained when the Seahawks traded Wilson to the Broncos.)

Bielema is a good faculty soccer coach.  He’s an important recruiter.   He’s additionally a former Seahawks’ participant himself.    He’s additionally been an important individual to interview, and he loves the Seahawks, the one NFL workforce to have given him a shot within the to play within the NFL a participant.