Breaking down the staff

Bielema finalizes coaching staff

*Illinois football head coach Bret Bielema finalized his 2023 coaching staff announcing two new hires in the last week....breakdown of next fall's staff below.

*Illini assistant coaches leaving...

Ryan Walters defensive coordinator/defensive backs-left to become head coach at Purdue.

Cory Patterson running backs coach-left to become associate head coach/wide receivers coach at Purdue.

Kevin Kane outside linebackers coach-left to become defensive coordinator at Purdue.

*Illini assistant coaching hires...

Antonio Fenelus LSU defensive quality control-hired to coach defensive backs.

Charlie Bullen Arizona Cardinals outside linebackers coach-hired to coach outside linebackers/pass rush coordinator.

Thad Ward Kansas State wide receivers coach-hired to coach running backs.

*Illini coaching staff on offense...

Barry Lunney Jr. offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach-handles quarterback evals/recruiting...not expected to be a top recruiter on the staff.

Thad Ward running backs coach-recruiting position.....has to bring in 3-5 prospects per class....second time working at Illinois for Ward...on staff 2016-2018 before leaving for Temple......Ward joins Greg Colby (Mackovic/Beckman) Luke Butkus (Beckman/Lovie) Mike Bellamy (Beckman/Lovie) Dan Roushar (Tepper/Turner) Bob Smith (Oline coach for Moeller stayed for White came back 88 with Mackovic) all assistant coaches with two tours with the Illini ‘modern era’....Ward played at Central Florida/coached at Tallahassee (Fla.) Rickards High School....has successfully recruited in-state, St. Louis, Florida and New Jersey/Pennsylvania areas....part of the 'Littyville' gang under Lovie Smith...please and thank you no more of that 'Littyville' shit.

Ward story...summer 2005 camp season...go into Illini football offices looking for assistant coach Dan Disch...knock on his door, some dude sitting in there not Disch...find Disch in the hallway, ask, 'who is the jabroni in your office?....Disch, 'nice young man just got him a job at Western Illinois from Florida'...that nice young man Thad Ward....Disch, former Jacksonville High School coach, recruited the Tallahassee area the year he worked for Zook at Florida...He would always tip off Ward on prospects in his western burb' area that weren't good enough for the Illini more suited for the Leathernecks...one I remember duck footed running back from Elgin who kept trying to commit to Disch/Illinois till finally kid got the hint, signed with Ward/Western Illinois.

George McDonald wide receivers coach-like running backs, wide receivers coach recruiting position...3-5 prospects per class expected.

Ben Miller tight ends coach-missed last fall fighting colon cancer...was on the sidelines for games last fall acting as the head coaches 'analytics' guy...contract renewed for 2023...Ohio recruiter need him back on the road getting prospects out of the Buckeye state for the Illini.

Bart Miller offensive line coach-Bielema's best hire on offense.....young aggressive teacher/developer that also can recruit.

Overview-like many not sold on Lunney Jr. as an offensive coordinator...this fall will tell us a lot about him...first time starter at QB, no Chase Brown....like the rest of the staff.

*Illini coaching staff on defense...

Terrance Jamison defensive line-hey he got a plus year from nose tackle Calvin Avery...quite the accomplishment....like Miller Bart, Jamison young aggressive teacher/developer that can recruit...backed up by former d-line coach Bielema...plus plus for Illinois up front coaching.

Charlie Bullen outside linebackers/pass rush coordinator-smart get the hire now...with a first time coordinator in Aaron Henry hire an experienced X's and O's assistant to help 'problem solve' (my new favorite coaching term problem solve!)....never recruited at the Big Ten level from Palatine probably give him the northwest Chicago burbs'...on the staff for his coaching not recruiting ability.

Andy Buh inside linebackers-experienced Big Ten coordinator to help Henry....solid recruiting ties to New Jersey.

Aaron Henry defensive coordinator/defensive backs-my opinion, Bielema had a choice lose Kane or Henry.....Kane left, top recruiter Henry elevated to d-coordinator....head coach, Buh and Bullen plenty of experience with X's and O's, in-game adjustments on 'D'.….expect Henry to still be a top recruiter in Florida for the Illini.

Antonio Fenelus defensive backs coach-would expect him to be a top recruiter while developing as a coach....Fenelus played for Bielema at Wisconsin....quality control coach at LSU, experienced D-2 coordinator....strong ties to Florida...Illini should have success getting even more talent out of the Sunshine State.

Overview-good mix of youth and experience on this side of the ball...Fenelus only assistant on staff that is...still developing...rest legit Big Ten assistant coaches that know how to do their job....shouldn't be surprised Bielema learned how to build a staff from the best Hayden Fry (pains me to type knowing how much I despised his teams), Bill Snyder and Barry Alvarez.

*Compare and contrast…

Walters staff at Purdue as compared to the Illini's.....reportedly Boilermaker assistant athletic director Tiffini Grimes 'banged on the table hard' using her influence to get Walters hired as head coach.....Grimes likely Purdue AD when Mike Bobinski retires....Bobinski now 65.

Walters first time head coach...very confident in his abilities...his staff…

Two legit power five coordinators in OC Graham Harrell/Kane.

Hired Matt Mattox off the UT-San Antonio staff as offensive line coach...more of a scheme guy than developer.

Patterson associate head coach...Walters buddy...Patterson more 'sizzle' than 'steak' as a coach/recruiter.

Then...

Sam Porter defensive backs coach...two years ago he was a grad assistant (GA).

Joe Dineen outside linebackers coach.....26 former Kansas linebacker was a GA at Illinois last year.

Seth Doege tight ends coach...former Texas Tech QB/Harrell's buddy...been a quality control/GA...Purdue first power five job.

Grant O'Brien defensive backs-grad assistant came to Champaign with Walters from Mizzou.....another young coach with no power five experience.

Lamar Conrad running backs coach-former Purdue running back...banging around the Missouri Valley/MAC for years.

Brick Haley defensive line-was at Mizzou with Walters, last fall at Minnesota...Gophers not upset when he left....worked for Lovie Smith with the Bears...when Lovie was considering hiring Haley at Illinois, reportedly Haley said, his recruiting, 'wasn't where you probably would want it at'....Lovie passed.

A lot of young coaches that the head coach/coordinators have to 'develop' keep an eye on....twenty years ago probably could get away with that kind of staff in the conference...now? flush with TV money/facilities upgraded….Big Ten coaching no joke anymore...Walters staff looks more 'MAC' than B1G but again that's me.