Illinois hires Bret Bielema as head coach

Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports Former Wisconsin Badgers football coach Bret Bielema is returning to the Big Ten.

The University of Illinois announced Bielema as its new football coach with a press release on Saturday. Bielema takes over for Lovie Smith, who was fired after going 17-39 in five seasons.

“Illinois and the Big Ten is home for me, and I can’t be any more excited about the opportunity in front of me with the Fighting Illini,” Bielema said in a statement. “We want to build a program that makes Illini Nation proud and regain the passion that I’ve seen when Illinois wins. We want the young men playing football in the state of Illinois from Freeport to Cairo and from Quincy to…