Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is in uncharted waters. The season is yet to start, and his program is already getting some hype in the rankings. Of course, when you come off a 10-win season in the Big 10 (5th in the conference), there’s bound to be more eyeballs. Stewart Mandel of The Athletic had Illinois 16th in his preseason rankings. Fox Analyst Joel Klatt had them even higher at 10th. The latter ranking had them only behind Oregon, Ohio State, and Penn State in the B1G. A major reason for all the optimism is their returning production. How did the head coach pull it off in the world of NIL?
Every off-season, programs wait with bated breath for their top players to make decisions about either returning to play another year or hitting the portal. In the NIL era, the chances of the latter happening have exponentially increased. Even when everything seems sorted, one sudden day, it can all turn around. Remember the whole Nico Iamaleava fiasco at Tennessee? Well, the Vols could have held on to their QB1, but he wanted more money, and the program was having none of it. Off you go! Nico plays for UCLA now. In such a volatile sphere, how did Bret Bielema manage to get 76% of his players back for another season (third among all FBS teams)?
When George Wrighster, the host of the Unafraid Show, asked Bielema about how difficult it has been for the coaches to have conversations with the players, especially with the portals going on, the head coach opened up about their strategy. “You have to be very aware. I had some of my best players that, you know, we agreed to a number that they were going to come and play for us here through NIL, and then also in the future with revenue sharing,” said Bret Bielema.
The honesty surely helps, and when it comes to NIL, Bielema has been honest for a while. In May 2025, the Illini head coach revealed how he was competing with an NIL budget of $5 million when other programs in his own conference had budgets north of $20 million. That doesn’t seem fair.
Despite that, some of the key players behind their 2024’s 10-3 success are back for Illinois. It isn’t just limited to QB1 Luke Altmyer. The whole O-line that started last year is coming back. The same goes for the entire secondary. Tarique Barnes and Sydney Brown, experienced defensive players, are returning for another year. Of course, the budget may have increased from $5 million, but it’s still peanuts when you consider the money Michigan spent on flipping Bryce Underwood from LSU.
Despite this disadvantage, Bret Bielema is open about how NIL is good for players. However, with a twist. “One of the things that we commonly talk about is that I always say NIL is great. I always say the I [in NIL] stands for Instant money because you literally can get it right away. But the NFL, as you know, you played it for a while, right? Like the F, in my opinion, stands for Forever money. You can make more money in a four- to six-year window than you can make in a lifetime.”
That is the catch. Even lower-level starters make several million dollars every year in the NFL. If you’re a starting quarterback or a key weapon on the defense, you’ve hit the jackpot. The top players who get paid top NIL money in college football are likely to make it to the NFL. Your chances increase if you make the most of your college career to hone your craft. And it’s not just the on-the-field aspect of the sport that Bret Bielema addresses while talking to his players.
“What we try to teach our kids is that they have had the chance to come here, be successful, and go on to have really maximized those moments. But also I tell you, like, I literally love hearing from my former players that are in the real world, right in the business world or in you—they’re a teacher, they’re a doctor, many doctors, but you people that are really truly in the world today making an impact on daily lives. And some of the things we learned here every day in this building are what they learn for the rest of their lives,” added Bret.
Of course, the choice lies with the player. The NIL money is a lucrative incentive to switch programs. For head coaches, the real task isn’t to produce NFL-ready talents. It’s to instill values that the players can utilize for the rest of their lives. That’s what Bret Bielema is trying to do at Illinois.
What can Bret Bielema achieve in the 2025 season?
Before the Illini’s 10-3 finish in 2024, Bielema last had a 10-win season with Wisconsin in 2011. It’s even worse for Illinois. The program last saw the same in 2001. A wait of 23 years. Going back-to-back would create a ripple across the B1G. However, just as likely as for the program to take one step forward, there could be a situation of two steps backwards. That’s what happened in 2023. An 8-win season followed by a 5-7 finish.
However, the chances of them not even making a bowl game are slim. Of course, we have already discussed the returning production. The schedule is also likely to help the program. There are tough games. For instance, USC and Ohio State. However, both are at home.
When it comes to away games, Indiana would be a tough nut to crack. The same goes for Washington, but fortunately for Bret Bielema, there are no Oregon and Penn State. They finished above everyone except two on their schedule.
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