‘I’m going to make you a coordinator and head coach’ - Bielema’s Promise to New Illini Assistant Coach Hires
New Illinois football assistant coaches Archie McDaniel and Justin Stepp have been given a promise by their new boss Bret Bielema that he intends for them to add their name to the list of people who have been promoted to coordinator or head coach roles.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
February 16, 2023
CHAMPAIGN — Similarly to the promise a coach makes with a prospect, a pledge has been made by the Illinois head football coach to his two newest assistant coach hires - I’ll get you better.
Throughout the short interview process of hiring wide receivers coach Justin Stepp and inside linebackers coach Archie McDaniel, Bret Bielema has vowed to these two men that he can get them to a future coordinator position or even possibly a head coach spot in their respective careers.
“The one thing that I consistently got from everybody who I talked to was (Bielema) makes you better as an assistant coach in every aspect of coaching,” McDaniel said in his first public comments since being announced hired to Bielema’s Illini staff on Feb. 9. “That was extremely attractive to me and intrigued me more than anything. I consider myself a sponge. I’ve been doing this 18 years and constantly am looking for ways to grow professionally and personally.”