Bielema's press conferences, and overall demeanor, is head-and-shoulders above recent Illini head football coaches. It's a pleasure to watch/listen to him.
You guys are spot-on. Seems appropriate to throw this out again. We're in pretty good hands right now. And keep in mind the mess that BB inherited just over a year ago. He's coached only one season (12 games), and he tied for 8th in the overall BIG10 standings.
Bielema's Overall Coaching Rating:
Football Intelligence (Depth & Breadth) - A
Experience / Coaching "Chops" - A
Overall People Skills - A
Dealing with the Media - A
Hiring, Coaching & Overseeing Staff - A
Relationship with AD - A
Investment: Apparent Buy-in to the Illinois Program - A
Recruiting - C-/D+ (evaluation incomplete; to be revisited in 2024/25)