(WAND) - As the clock continues to tick and bring Illinois football closer to kickoff for the Cheez-it Citrus Bowl, the coaching staff remains hard at work preparing for the 2025 season as well.
Bret Bielema and his team have landed three transfers from Wisconsin who will help to fill key roles on the defensive side of the ball - linemen James Thompson Jr. and Curt Neal, plus outside linebacker Leon Lowery.
"I think 'Jamo' (Terrance Jamison) and I made a mark on when they came in and saw how we did things and what we do and how we play," Bielema said. "All three of them are very unique because they all came in at different times. All of them kind of had something different that they were looking for. I know there's a tie to Wisconsin, but I think all of them came here for their own particular reasons."
Bielema coached at Wisconsin from 2006-2012, rising to a record of 68-24 and clinched three consecutive Rose Bowl berths.
The transfers will undoubtably play a role in establishing a physical defense. Thompson suffered a torn pectoral before the 2024 season, sidelining him for almost the entire year. He previously started for the Badgers, tallying 12 tackles for loss and 5 sacks in two seasons.
In 434 snaps with Wisconsin this past season, Neal notched 3.5 TFLs and 14 solo tackles.
Lowery made 18 solo tackles in 2024, including one sack.
The Badgers finished the recent campaign with a 5-7 record overall, going 3-6 in Big Ten play.
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