Spotlight COLLEGE FOOTBALL | ILLINOIS Illinois football coach Bielema making connections both past and present Bob Asmussen, The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill. May 3, 2026 May 3, 2026 Updated 6 hrs ago 0 Illinois coach Bret Bielema runs practice at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 7, 2025, in Champaign. Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago Tribune Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Bob Asmussen, The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill. CHAMPAIGN — Illinois football coach Bret Bielema spent some time this week in Dallas for the American Football Coaches Association meetings.kAmqFE E92EVD ?@E 2== 96 5:5]k^AmkAmQx >256 E96 >:DE2<6 @7 E6==:?8 w@H2C5 |:=E@?[ @FC 7F?5C2:D6C[ E92E x H2D 8@:?8 E@ 36 :? s2==2D[Q q:6=6>2 D2:5] Qp== @7 2 DF556?[ x 8@E 2DD:8?65 2 52J @7 2=F>?: @FEC6249 2?5 5@?@C 6G6?ED]Qk^AmkAm%@ 36 4=62C[ q:6=6>2 H2D?VE 4@>A=2:?:?8] w6 6?;@J65 E96 6IA6C:6?46 3642FD6 @7 H9@> 96 >6E]k^Am kAmQx D2E 5@H? 2E =F?49 H:E9 |2CE6K (:=D@?[Q q:6=6>2 D2:5] Qx 8@E E@ >66E y2D@? '6C5FK4@] xE H2D ;FDE D@ 2H6D@>6]Qk^Am People are also reading… A timeline of assassination attempts and threats against Trump Pope Leo signals shift away from Catholic Church's focus on sex Former Cyclone Addy Brown commits to reigning NCAA Champs 8 children killed at home in Louisiana domestic violence, police say Daughter of 10-year MLB vet, Brianna Johnson a 'gem' who delivers for Hawkeyes again and again Watch: New Iowa running backs coach explains why he rejoined Hawkeyes Grinnell's Will Slagle recommits to Iowa State, recruiting win for Jimmy Rogers What Jay Norvell said makes Iowa special and why he wanted to be a Hawkeye again They’re in remission, but their medical bills aren’t: Cancer survivors navigate soaring costs Inside Ukraine's drive to defeat the dreaded Shahed drone Winners (Jermod McCoy) and losers (Diego Pavia) of 2026 NFL Draft Day 3 Trump administration rejects women picked for soybean board, appoints men instead Illinois football coach Bielema making connections both past and present US court blocks mail-order access to abortion drug, for now America barely uses OPEC oil. 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