Illinois Football Coach Bret Bielema Takes Aim at Former Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh
Bret Bielema, the ever-online head coach of Illinois football, couldn’t resist calling out Jim Harbaugh on social media Tuesday night, targeting the former Michigan coach’s ethical stance.
Bielema, known for his active presence on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), has developed a knack for trolling—especially when he feels his program has been disrespected or when he senses hypocrisy. His target this time? Harbaugh.
Really…. Why did you leave?
Was looking forward to playing but understand why you ran to the #NFL
See you in the future and can’t wait #famILLy #ILL https://t.co/4y7C5ecvUA
— Bret Bielema (@BretBielema) January 29, 2025
The episode began with Bielema retweeting a vintage clip of Harbaugh during his time as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers (2011-2014), where Harbaugh discussed football ethics: “You always want to be above reproach – especially when you’re good, because you don’t want people to say, ‘Oh, they’re winning because they’re cheating.’ … Because if you cheat to win, then you’ve already lost.”
Bielema’s response was subtle yet pointed enough to be provocative without directly naming names. He then added fuel to the fire by sharing a post about Michigan’s plans to contest NCAA sign-stealing allegations from their 2023 season, a report by Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger.
NEW: Michigan is fighting allegations from the NCAA regarding the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal, @RossDellenger reports👀
Moore claims to have deleted his text with Stalions out of rage:
"I was just extremely angry of the type of person that would do that to this… pic.twitter.com/qiW4BbhzWw
— On3 (@On3sports) January 28, 2025
It’s worth noting that, while rumors swirl around Michigan and their potential sign-stealing scandal, these allegations remain unproven. However, Harbaugh’s ethical standing took a hit in August when the NCAA issued him a show-cause order for recruiting violations during his time at Michigan. Essentially, the NCAA called Harbaugh’s conduct unethical, marking a contradiction to his own moral teachings.
So, is Bielema simply calling out what he sees as a double standard, or is he acting out of bitterness over his Illinois team’s 19-17 loss to Michigan in 2022? Regardless, the Illinois coach’s online remarks suggest he’s not forgetting that defeat—and perhaps using Harbaugh’s own words to make his point.
— Bret Bielema (@BretBielema) January 29, 2025
Bielema’s final retweet that night offered another subtle jab, leaving little doubt about his intentions.
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