Bielema hired to take over Illinois

Nearly a week after firing coach Lovie Smith, Illinois on Saturday announced Bret Bielema as his replacement. Bielema, who played at Iowa, coachedWisconsin to three BigTenchampionships and six straight bowl games in his seven-season tenure. “Illinois and theBigTenishomeforme, and I can’t be anymore excited about the opportunity in front of me with the Fighting Illini,” Bielema said in a statement. “Wewant to build a program that makes Illini Nation proud and regain the passion that I’ve seen when Illinois wins. Wewant the young men playing football in the state of Illinois fromFreeport to Cairo andfromQuincytoDanvilledreamingofwearing the Orange and Blue and playing atMemorial Stadium. I look forward to reconnecting with the high school coaches around the state.”

Bielema signed a six-year deal beginning with an annual salary of $4.2 million.