Patriots assistant Bielema prefers NFL over college

Former Arkansas coach Bret Bielema, currently on the New England Patriots' coaching staff, said he plans to stay in the NFL.

Bielema, in his first coaching job at the NFL level, spent more than 20 years in the collegiate ranks.

"It's a whole different way to coach (in the NFL)," Bielema told CBS Sports on Friday. "I understand once they go to that level, coaches don't ever go back. One of the most 'a-ha' moments was one of the first drills I did during OTAs. I had 11 (defensive) guys go through the drills. 'Holy cow, these guys are good.' These are the elite of your elite."

Before coming to New England this offseason, Bielema was head coach at Arkansas for five years and Wisconsin for seven years. Before that, he was the Badgers' defensive coordinator, Kansas State's co-defensive coordinator and Iowa's linebackers coach.

While assisting the Patriots' defense, he does not have an official title yet. So far, he has enjoyed working with the pros and being a part of head coach Bill Belichick's staff.

"The thing I love about football in the NFL is you go to work at 6 a.m. and you leave at 9 (p.m.) and it's nothing but football," Bielema said. "It's just purely football."