Bret Bielema downplays rumors linking him to Iowa when Kirk Ferentz retires

Bret Bielema downplayed the rumors linking him to his alma mater Iowa whenever Kirk Ferentz decides to return. Bielema played nose guard for the Hawkeyes from 1989-92 and coached there from 1994-2001.

So naturally, Illinois fans might be worried if Ferentz decides this is it. Bielema’s been pretty successful with the Illini since 2021 when he was hired as head coach, returning to college football.

But during a sitdown interview with Pardon My Take, Bielema wasn’t fazed about any Iowa rumors. In fact, there’s a clause in his contract.

“Actually my new contract, I signed a non-compete with every school in the Big Ten,” Bielema said. “I’ve signed three contracts with Illinois. When my second one came up, Wisconsin was open and Nebraska was open. And I know they were concerned about that, so I volunteered. I said, ‘Hey, I know everybody thinks I want to go to Iowa. I don’t want to go to Iowa.’ 

“I spent five great years there, coached there for a long time, like I’m happy. So I actually signed a non-compete with all of the Big Ten.”

Bielema is 28-22 with Illinois in four seasons, including a 10-3 campaign in 2024, winning the Citrus Bowl and finishing No. 16 in the country at season’s end. The Illini have gotten to a bowl game twice under Bielema.

He is 125-80 as a head coach with Wisconsin, Arkansas and Illinois. His most successful stretch came from 2010-12 where Wisconsin won and claimed three straight Big Ten titles and made it to the Rose Bowl all three seasons.

Following his stint in the NFL between 2018-20, Bielema returned to college as the head coach of Illinois. He’s made an impression in his return to the Big Ten.

He went viral last season during the Citrus Bowl due to a spat with South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer. Bielema addressed his current relationship with Beamer, six months later.

“I got caught up in the moment, you know, and that one was kind of more a little moment in the game,” Bielema said. “So I literally called him. There was later in January a coaches convention and I knew his dad [Frank Beamer] was getting an award so I probably knew he was gonna be there. I was gonna try and make it to the event but couldn’t do it so I called him and had a conversation and it was very cordial.

“I think you’ve just gotta get past those moments. That ended up being a rule change, so for the good of the game that was actually a good thing that happened.”