Social media reacts to Bret Bielema's CFB return, surprisingly high salary at Illinois
Bret Bielema is back in college football. After spending the past three seasons in the NFL as an assistant coach, Bielema has accepted the Illinois head coaching position.
Bielema will get $4.2 million per year as Lovie Smith’s replacement. Many CFB fans and media members expressed surprise at Bielema being able to get that much from Illinois considering his struggles as the Arkansas head coach. Illini fans seem mixed on the Bielema hire. Some are optimistic the former Wisconsin coach can succeed again in the Big Ten. Others have a less positive outlook.
Here’s a small sample of the social reaction to Bielema:
My reaction to the #Illini hiring a college football retread (Bret Bielema), continuing a hiring pattern for head coaches that goes back almost 30 years: pic.twitter.com/t9fWN7J0k2
— Amos Pearson’s Moose Farm (@Frustrated_Fan) December 19, 2020
Bret Bielema got 4.2 million….. a year?
I’m sure Illinois won’t regret that decision.
— Matt Fontana (@MattFontana83) December 19, 2020
I wish I had the good heart and soul to root for Bielema. But I can’t. The way he treated some people here on his way out, I just can’t root for him. Least not yet.
— John R Nabors (@BuzzJohnNabors) December 19, 2020
https://twitter.com/BuzzJohnNabors/status/1340310449007550469
Bret Bielema is the new coach at Illinois and he’s making $4.2 million! a year. https://t.co/SwMdnFgbky
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 19, 2020
My favorite Bret Bielema stat: From 2013-17, Arkansas was just 10-13 (.435) in games it led by 1-14 points through three quarters. The rest of the SEC was 174-41 (.809) with such a lead over that same span.
— Andrew Hutchinson (@NWAHutch) December 19, 2020
How is that PAC-12 supposed to compete with the rest of the power 5 if Bert Bielema can get $4.2 million per year? We need new leadership badly https://t.co/xeo55cPpPE
— Mark Stevenson (@MStevenson11) December 19, 2020
4.2 million per for Bret Bielema is insane. https://t.co/WQVLonZqQC
— Martha the Mop Lady (@TheMopLady) December 19, 2020
Bielema 4.2 million/yr
Kiffin 3.9 million/yr
Pittman 3 million/yr
Illinois got rooked and we got the best of them all. WPS
— East Coast Muss Bus (@schawgfan84) December 19, 2020
I guess I didn’t think the price tag for Bielema would be 4.2 Mil a year- at this stage.. #illinois
— Chuck Freimund (@ChuckFreimund) December 19, 2020
Bret Bielema was 11-29 in SEC play at the University of Arkansas and now he gets 4.2 million a year from Illinois? Really?
— David Kaplan (@thekapman) December 19, 2020
They paid for a name not a high quality coach.
— Jim Rutledge (@JimRutledge) December 19, 2020
Some #Badger fans share a certain attitude towards now-Illinois coach Brett Bielema… pic.twitter.com/aAJWevsHP3
— Ben Kenney (@benzkenney) December 19, 2020
— Joel (@OrangeNBlue311) December 19, 2020
Get behind Bielema we need to turn this program around !
— BIG ORANGE (@illini1988) December 19, 2020
— T Bird ? (@sunandshower) December 19, 2020
— Tampa Illini Fan (@TampaIlliniFan) December 19, 2020
— Steve (@Coach_Steve72) December 19, 2020
— Doug Fisher (@msjh3ad_ap) December 19, 2020
We always have the linemen and running backs…looking forward to his hard-nosed defenses. pic.twitter.com/dMJHXJoswm
— gocardinalsgo (@gocardinalsgo) December 19, 2020
— Alex Wallner (@ByAlexWallner) December 19, 2020
— Anthony cicone (@witnessmerule) December 19, 2020
