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Illini Coach Bret Bielema Credits New Device Enhancing 'Player-Communication'

Bret Bielema spoke to local media Thursday about the football program's current state, including a potentially industry-changing addition.
Zain Bando|
Jul 23, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 23, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports | Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

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Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois coach Bret Bielema may be entering the same rinse-and-repeat cycle as his fourth season kicks off in under three weeks, but a unique aspect of his program may change how college football is run forever.

It’s not NIL, or a brand-new television contract, which the Big Ten can lay claim to having rights to air games on FOX, CBS, NBC and Big Ten Network. It’s a sideline-oriented tablet.

Bielema spoke to local media Thursday about his thoughts on the Illini roster and expectations for the season. Above all, he emphasized the most important aspect entering the season: communication.

Illinois became the first program to use the tablet when it began fall camp in late July. Bielema said that while the device is new under NCAA standards, it has benefits.

“I like the way our guys are taking,” Bielema said regarding the team’s first scrimmage. “That’s probably the hardest thing when you have a new team is just getting a new group of voices to talk.”

Bielema said he is pleased with how the tablet allows his players to dissect everything they see on the field.

“We have the addition of not only player-communication, but also tablets,” Bielema said. “So we had tablets out last night [Wednesday] and met with our players before.”

Bielema described his team as the “guinea pigs” in the experiment, confirming that Illinois would get to use the device three times before it opens the season with Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Aug. 29.

Zain Bando is a contributor to Illinois Fighting Illini On SI. He can be reached at zainbando99@gmail.com or follow him on X @zainbando99

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Zain Brando
ZAIN BANDO

Bando is a sports journalist based in the Chicago suburbs. He is a proud Fighting Illini (undergrad alumnus) and completed his Master of Science in Journalism at Northwestern's Medill School, focusing on Sports Media. He’s been covering combat sports since June 2019 and collegiate sports since May 2020, featured in The Sporting News, MMA Knockout On SI, Kansas State On SI, BJPenn.com, Field Level Media, SB Nation's Inside NU, MSN, Yardbarker, Deadspin, Reuters, Mike Farrell Sports, NewsNet Media, FanSided, Men's Journal. Hosts a podcast called Bando’s Breakdowns, which premieres weekly at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT Wednesdays on the Empty The Bench Podcast Network