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Auburn fans are letting Illinois head coach Bret Bielema hear it after recent comments about a recruiting battle. The Illini leader blamed a prospect’s choosing the Tigers on NIL.
The social media remark is now going viral, leading to quite the reaction amongst those on The Plains. Auburn fans are firing back at Bielema on Twitter.
The head coach isn’t new to the fanbase. He coached SEC West rival Arkansas for five seasons, going just 1-4 against the Tigers. He was let go after the 2017 season, landing in the Big Ten in 2021.
Bielema found himself in a recruiting battle with his old rival this week as both programs looked to sign East Carolina transfer Avery Jones. Jones is a former four-star recruit and was considered one of the top five players in the transfer portal. He started 32 games with the Pirates and will be expected to provide an immediate impact with his new team.
College football is changing everyday #NIL https://t.co/R2ZT4op4T0
— Bret Bielema (@BretBielema)
He posted a similar message of dismay on another update on Jones’s recruitment.
Loss???? #ILL https://t.co/sBJ8YIey1x
— Bret Bielema (@BretBielema)
The insinuation that NIL was behind the Auburn commitment has fans reacting online. Tiger supporters flooded comments section with responses.
One person wrote, “broke boiiiiiis hahahahaha,” while another said, “Sorry, I don’t speak poor.”
Then there was this fan who commented, “Get your money up.”
Auburn is hitting the transfer portal hard under new head coach Hugh Freeze as they look to rebuild the program. The Tigers have been in a downward spiral of late, going just 11-14 over the last two seasons.
Illinois, on the other hand, experienced its best season under Bret Bielema. The Illini won eight games in the regular season and made their first bowl appearance since 2019. Maybe this latest social media exchange will lead the program to upping its NIL ante for future recruits.
Related: Bret Bielema uses Golden Corral analogy to describe his team’s hunger on defense
The post Auburn Fans Call Big Ten Program ‘Poor’ After Coach Blames Recruiting Loss On NIL appeared first on BroBible.
