It’s clear Bret Bielema and his staff have a philosophy: If you can, you can play – the level doesn’t matter. Bielema landed All-Conference JUCO defensive back Donovan Turner out of Long Beach City College last week, and on Friday the newly extended Illini head coach landed defensive lineman Eli Coenen out of Division II Bemidji State University.
Coenen, a 6-foot-7, 275-pounder from Baldwin, Wisconsin, logged 20 tackles, one pass break-up and a fumble recovery in 13 games last year for the Beavers. He appeared in two games in 2023 before redshirting the season.
The fifth defensive lineman Illinois has landed via the transfer portal in the offseason, Coenen also reported via X that he had offers from Baylor, New Mexico, South Dakota and South Dakota State. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Considering Conen’s size and time left to develop as a college player, this was a strong move by Illinois. Even if Coenen doesn’t play much this season, reps on the scout team alone should help determine whether Coenen can play in the Big Ten. If he performs well in those opportunities, maybe he’ll play a little bit this year and move into a bigger role in 2026 and beyond.
