Former Badger star RB hired by Bret Bielema to join the Illinois coaching staff

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is grabbing one of his former players, James White, to be his new assistant running backs coach. This is a great opportunity for a former star Badger as White had expressed interest in coaching. Bielema continues to hire former Badgers from his days when he was at Wisconsin. White is another example to this trajectory.

James White is the new assistant RB coach for the Illinois Fighting Illini

White has retired from the NFL after playing for the New England Patriots from 2014-2022. He was instrumental in their Super Bowl championship at the end of the 2016 season. He is known for his ability to catch balls out of the backfield and get consistent yards after catch. He now returns to the coach who recruited him out of high school to help build up the Illini running back room.

In the release from Illinois, Bielema said about White, "Since first recruiting James out of St. Thomas Aquinas, he has continued to be an impressive person both on and off the football field. James has always been a leader in the locker room and demanded respect from his teammates and coaches. With his experiences in the Big Ten and on the biggest stages in the NFL, he will be a great resource for our running backs."

White said, "I am thankful for the opportunity to work with Coach Bielema and his staff. I am excited to get to learn and grow with the coaches and players as we work to be the best we can be on a daily basis."

This is an exciting opportunity for White, even though it would have been nice to have him back on the Wisconsin sidelines coaching the Badgers' running back room. Maybe that day will come, but for now, he will be coaching a Big Ten foe.