Illinois HC Bret Bielema speaks out on spring game pitch to Bill Belichick amid Deion Sanders' Syracuse matchup fallout: "Reached out to him"

Illinois coach Bret Bielema said he reached out to North Carolina’s Bill Belichick this past spring about staging a scrimmage between their programs, drawing inspiration from NFL minicamps.

Bielema, who worked on Belichick’s staff with the New England Patriots from 2018 to 2019, said the idea stemmed from conversations around a now-denied proposal by Colorado and Syracuse to hold a joint spring game.

While the NCAA blocked the plan, it sparked interest among coaches.

“The one thing that was really intriguing to me in the NFL was those minicamps where teams would get together and compete,” Bielema said, according to On3. “This past spring, I saw when Colorado and Syracuse were talking about getting together… That’s when I reached out to him [Belichick] - ‘Hey, if we could go a little challenge with North Carolina and Illinois, either now or in the future, would you be interested?’”

Former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick - Source: Imagn

Bielema said both staffs share similar values, and that the Tar Heels under Belichick are “in a better position than many think.” He also praised the former NFL coach’s staff, calling it “a really good group of coaches.”

Although NCAA rules prevented the proposed scrimmage, Bret Bielema’s pitch reflects broader momentum behind reimagining spring football. With potential rule changes on the horizon, coaches like Bielema and Belichick could be laying the groundwork for a future in which intersquad spring matchups become a regular feature of the offseason.

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Bill Belichick vies for DL Manoah Faupasa in high-stakes July decision

Three-star defensive lineman Manoah Faupasa will announce his commitment on July 5, choosing between Colorado, North Carolina and Arizona. Oklahoma State and Maryland round out his top five.

Faupasa visited Colorado and Arizona in June and made an April stop at North Carolina, now led by longtime NFL coach Bill Belichick. The Buffaloes are leaning on new defensive line coach Domata Peko and senior analyst Warren Sapp to build what they call a "Poly pipeline" to Boulder, according to Sports Illustrated. Both former NFL standouts have made strong impressions on the California native.

Colorado hopes Peko’s background and Sapp’s NFL résumé can swing a key win for Deion Sanders' 2026 recruiting class. The Tar Heels, meanwhile, are pursuing Faupasa as part of Belichick’s effort to retool UNC’s front seven.

Whichever staff lands Faupasa will add a physical, 6-2, 295-pound interior presence to its defensive line rotation.