After two and a half weeks of speculation, the Wisconsin Badgers have found the man to head up their defense. Head coach Barry Alvarez announced the hiring of Bret Bielema as UW’s new defensive coordinator Thursday, filling the void left by Kevin Cosgrove’s departure to the University of Nebraska. Bielema comes to Wisconsin from Kansas State, where served as co-defensive coordinator, linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator for two seasons. In his brief tenure at Kansas State, the Wildcats compiled a 22-6 record. The 2002 Kansas State team boasted the nation’s top scoring defense, holding opponents to just 11.8 points per game on average.
Prior to his stopover in Manhattan, Kansas, Bielema coached for nine seasons at his alma mater of Iowa, where Alvarez spent nine years as an assistant.
Bielema began his coaching career as an undergraduate assistant coach. After staying on as a graduate assistant, Bielema worked his way to full-time assistant status, coaching the Hawkeye linebackers. He spent six seasons in Iowa City before joining Bill Synder’s Wildcat staff.
“I’m very pleased to be able to add Bret to our staff,” Alvarez said. “He has been a successful player and coach in the Big Ten and has been associated with winning football programs. He has coached with and learned from some of the best in the business, including Hayden Fry, Kirk Ferentz and Bill Snyder. Bret will bring a good mixture of energy, enthusiasm and experience to our defense. He is a good fit for our program.”
As a player, Bielema served as team co-captain for the 1992 Iowa Hawkeyes. He started on the 1991 team that finished the season with a 10-1-1 record, a No. 5 ranking and a berth in the Holiday Bowl. His 1990 squad won the Big Ten championship, leading to a Rose Bowl appearance, where Iowa fell to Washington 46-34.
His collegiate career led to a free agent deal with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks in 1993. He is no stranger to Wisconsin, as he finished his playing days in Milwaukee, suiting up for the Mustangs of the Arena Football League in 1994.
Among the linebackers the 34-year-old Bielema has coached are All-Big Ten honorable mention selections Vernon Rollins and Matt Hughes, First-Team All-Big Ten Fred Barr, First-Team All-American and Butkus Award semifinalist Josh Buhl, who racked up a Kansas State-record 184 tackles in 2003 to lead the nation; and Terry Pierce, a 2003 second round draft pick of the Denver Broncos.
