What Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said about Penn State ahead of Saturday’s matchup
Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema will bring his team to Beaver Stadium Saturday afternoon to play the Penn State Nittany Lions for the 26th time in program history. The Nittany Lions lead the series 20-5, but Bielema said he wants his team to focus on the task at hand and ignore the previous outcomes.
“One of the things that we talked about every game we played, is no team from Illinois’ past or the team we’re playing is present on Saturday,” Bielema said Monday at his weekly press conference. “It’s about how those 11 match up on that given Saturday on every play. I’ll never vary off of that.”
The Illini will face an uphill battle as a 2-5 team taking on the 5-1 Nittany Lions in the Big Ten matchup.
Here’s everything Bielema had to say heading into the game.
(On Penn State’s team this season)
Very tremendous challenge this week. Obviously any time you’re on the road in the Big Ten, it’s a big deal. It’s homecoming for Penn State. (Penn State head coach) James (Franklin) has done a nice job of assembling the roster. Very unique in the fact that when I came here, I didn’t expect to see what I saw. I knew I’d see good players but he’s kind of assembled, especially on the defensive side of the ball, their best guy up front is a transfer, two safeties have played junior college football. Their roster is made up of a lot of really highly-recruited high school players but also some guys they’ve added through the transfer portal as well as junior college transfers.
Offensively, they obviously have a question at quarterback. I’m sure we’re not going to get any answers on that any time soon but whoever they have there at quarterback, kind of two different stories — a guy who has played a lot of football and does really good things, has won a lot of games for them, a three-time captain and then you also have two guys that possibly could play in his absence that have limited work experience.
Their running backs are very talented. They have a receiver who is probably one of the best in the league and a very talented offensive line, tight ends are good as well. We’ve got a tremendous challenge but I think our guys are excited to get back out on the field and compete.
(On being on the sideline for Penn State’s game vs. Illinois last year after he was hired)
Obviously we were still in the middle of the whole COVID thing, didn’t know exactly how the schedule was going to lay out for the year ahead. It did jump out to me that, my first game at the University of Illinois was on the road at Penn State and I knew we were playing them on the road again. I’d love to see the computer that figures that out. I think we play them on the road three out of four years. So that’s a very interesting side fact for the trivia buffs in the room. But the schedule is what it is and plays out how it is. I do remember the fight in our guys at the game. It wasn’t obviously the outcome they wanted, but I remember when we first got there, we got there a little bit into the first quarter and it was a good game rolling at that point. It got a little bit lopsided at the end but (they) just ran out of bodies.
(On examining Penn State’s roster last season when the team’s played)
Last year I really wasn’t looking at Penn State. I get the question but I was really concentrating on the roster as it lays out. When I was in the league the last time, that was just beginning to transition from obviously (Joe Paterno’s) long run and all that came into it and then (former head coach Bill) O’Brien was coming in and obviously the transition was taking place. By the roster I was kind of surprised there was a lot of portal transfers as well as junior college players that were being significantly played, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
(On Penn State leading the all-time series against Illinois, 20-5)
I have always kind of told our players, like one of their goals referenced to be the toughest team in the stadium mentally and physically. One of the things that we talked about every game we played, is no team from Illinois’ past or the team we’re playing is present on Saturday. It’s about how those 11 match up on that given Saturday on every play. I’ll never vary off of that. I do think there’s a time where you want to bring things up or other times maybe you don’t bring them up, depending on the results. I don’t think it’s anything too glaring to assume that our players don’t know they’ve got a really good football team that we’re going to play at their place on Saturday at noon and for us to be at our best is the only assignment that we really have. We’ll be at our best and compete and play a four-quarter game. I think the way we left the field last time should be motivation in itself to play a higher level of football in all phases, offense, defense and special teams, against a Big Ten opponent.
