Bret Bielema had some praises to give to an assistant coach following the No. 11 Illinois Fighting Illini's 45-19 win over the Duke Blue Devils.
Illinois improved to a 2-0 record on the season, outscoring their first two opponents 97-22. While the opener was against Western Illinois, it gives the Fighting Illini momentum to have their season get on the right track.
And during one of the team's plays against Duke, special teams assistant Chris Hurd caught two of the opposing team's players wearing the same number. With that being against the rules, the officials called a penalty against Duke and in favor of Illinois.
Bielema reflected on the win in the postgame press conference, via reporter Glenn Kinley. He noted Hurd's efforts on the sidelines, praising him for his attention to detail on the game.
“He is a very special coach and even better person in the #famILLy,” Bielema said.
Bret Bielema says the play of the day was from special teams assistant Chris Hurd.
He caught Duke having two guys wearing #8 on that punt.
B raves about Hurd and says he tried to get him hired in the NFL when he was with the Patriots.
“That literally changed the game.” pic.twitter.com/CwbTmEYgwZ
— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) September 6, 2025
How Bret Bielema, Illinois played against Duke
It's a great moment for Bret Bielema to have with his coaching staff at Illinois. They have a lot of chemistry as they are looking out for another during every game.
Their blowout win against Duke was another example of their connection. They traded blows with the Blue Devils, only leading 14-13 at halftime. Despite that, they responded with a strong second half, outscoring them 31-6 in the last 30 minutes of the contest.
Luke Altmeyer had a solid performance to boast against Duke's defense. He completed 22 passes out of 31 attempts for 296 yards and three touchdowns. Hank Beatty was the receiving star of the day, recording eight receptions for 128 yards. Meanwhile, Justin Bowick, Collin Dixon and Cole Rusk caught the touchdown passes.
The run game had a notable night as well. They racked up 123 yards on the ground after 42 carries, reaching the end zone three times. Kaden Feagin led the way with 48 yards and a touchdown after 17 rushes.
The No. 1 Fighting Illini will look forward to their next matchup, being at home. They host Western Michigan on Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. ET.
