Column: The Bret Bielema era is set to begin at Illinois. Can the coach change the football culture in Champaign?

The first step of bringing back the Illinois football program has been accomplished.

People are talking about them again, and new coach Bret Bielema is a big part of the reason.

Bielema’s main responsibilities will be coaching and recruiting, but if he’s asked to help with the marketing, he seems up for the task. He’s a homegrown Illinois native from Prophetstown, currently bleeding orange after building his reputation from 2006-12 as a young head coach at Wisconsin, a perennial Big Ten power.

The Illini have a long way to go to reach Wisconsin’s status, and expecting a turnaround in one year is asking a bit much, even for the most optimistic of fans.

But Bielema has proved he knows how to win, and his next challenge begins Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, where the Illini open the 2021 season against Nebraska.

It has been a while since the large and opinionated Illini alumni base in the Chicago area has been this excited about a football season. Bielema on Thursday confirmed the feeling is mutual in Champaign-Urbana.

“I have been able to feel it everywhere I’ve been, to be quite honest,” he said in a teleconference. “Central Illinois, southern Illinois, western, eastern, Chicago … I think fans are excited.

“But we haven’t played a game yet, right? It’s easy to get excited about something you’ve never seen. I will say this: I hope there is equal excitement after we get done playing (Nebraska). That’s what I’m excited for more than anything.

“For people to support us, they have to believe in what we’re doing and they have to see hope, right? I’m not sure where we’re going to land Saturday postgame, but I hope to instill a lot of hope in a lot of people that have been looking for it here in the Illinois program for the immediate future and years to come.”

The Illini go in as seven-point underdogs against the Cornhuskers in a game scheduled in “Week Zero” of the 2021 season, giving Illinois a chance to show the nation it’s the start of a new era. The game originally was scheduled to be played in Dublin but was switched to Champaign because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bielema, who was a defensive assistant and linebackers coach last year with the New York Giants — ending a brief NFL stint after his firing at Arkansas — brings a new attitude to a program that’s coming off a disappointing 2-6 season under former coach Lovie Smith.

The Illini haven’t finished .500 since Ron Zook guided them to a 7-6 record in 2011, and they’ve had only two truly memorable seasons in the 21st century: a 9-4 finish and Rose Bowl appearance under Zook in 2007, and their last Big Ten title in a 2001, a 10-2 campaign under Ron Turner.

It’s one thing to watch Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin power through the Big Ten year after year, but when a basketball school such as Indiana can turn itself in a Top 25 football program under coach Tom Allen, it’s time for Illini boosters to ask the age-old question: “Why not us?”

Bielema seemingly was a perfect choice by athletic director Josh Whitman to replace Smith, who was fired after a 17-39 record and a Red Box Bowl appearance in his five seasons. Bielema reportedly called every head coach of a high school program in Illinois, putting an emphasis on keeping the best talent in-state. He convinced 22 players to return as “super seniors” after they were allowed an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic and has 20 regular seniors.

But what Whitman believes most is that Bielema can bring the same kind of mental toughness on game day that everyone saw from his Wisconsin teams, who won at a .739 clip (68-24) during his seven years in Madison.

Indiana shocked the college football world last year when the Hoosiers upset No. 8 Penn State in the season opener, setting the table for the resurgence of the program. Beating Nebraska wouldn’t be quite as eye-opening, but one step forward is all that matters.

Bielema on Monday was asked how important it was for the Illini to get off to a good start, and he reverted to Coachspeak 101, saying all games are equally important, and the season-ender with Northwestern is just as big. But naturally, if the Illini are 3-8 or so by the time they meet the Wildcats in November, it won’t matter as much.

“Illinois has to be Illinois,” Bielema told ESPN on Thursday when asked what his team needs to do to win.

Illinois hasn’t been Illinois in decades, at least if you’re talking about a program capable of competing year in, year out. The good news is super senior Brandon Peters returns as quarterback, though that also could be the bad news if Peters doesn’t live up to his early hype. He has been hit-and-miss since transferring from Michigan, where he lost his job to Shea Patterson in 2018, and last year played in five games while missing three after testing positive for COVID-19, completing only 48.8% of his passes with three touchdowns.

Peters will be on his third coach and fifth offensive coordinator, hoping Bielema and OC Tony Peterson can make him the quarterback he was advertised as.

“I’m always open ears, always open to criticism, looking to improve myself,” Peters told reporters in Champaign.

Isaiah Williams has shifted from quarterback to wideout, bringing Peters another weapon he lacked last year. While we don’t know exactly how Peters will be used, Bielema’s reputation as a coach who relies on the ground game figures to take much of the pressure off Peters. Chase Brown should take the reins in the battle for lead running back, with a potentially strong compliment in Mike Epstein, who has battled injuries the last few years after a promising start.

An experienced offensive line, led by tackles Vederian Lowe and Alex Palczewski — who is returning from ACL surgery — and center Doug Kramer, should open enough holes. But Peters can’t afford to be as inconsistent from game to game if the offense is to generate points.

Inside linebacker Jake Hansen, who could be the best linebacker the Illini have had since Simeon Rice, and outside linebacker Owen Carney lead a 3-4 defense that should help keep the Illini in most games.

Bielema’s presence has provided the Illini with some much-needed media exposure while instilling confidence in Illini Nation. Now it’s up to the returning players to change the culture.

Bielema envisioned a bunch of Illini alumni in Chicago talking football again with their peers from other Big Ten schools.

“They’re all in there throwing around some smack talk,” he said. “And I think that’s a festive thing for all of us.”

Illini football fans talking smack?

That’s something we’ll need to see to believe.

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