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Illinois Football: How big was the Illini hiring of Ryan Walters?

By Rees Woodcock

Oct 21, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A Illinois Fighting Illini helmet sits on the grass during pre game before a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A Illinois Fighting Illini helmet sits on the grass during pre game before a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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It looks like the Illinois football team has found their man to run the defensive side of the ball.

First reported by FootballScoop.com and later reported by other outlets, new head coach Bret Bielema has hired Ryan Walters to be the new Illini defensive coordinator.

Walters is an experienced defensive coordinator coming from Missouri, where he has led the Tigers since 2016 as their defensive coordinator.

The coaching career for Walters started back in 2009 when he was a student assistant for Colorado. He parlayed that position into a graduate assistant role at Arizona in 2010 followed by the defensive backs coach for the Wildcats in 2011.

Over the next two years, Walters would hold the cornerbacks coaching duties for North Texas and Memphis. In 2015, he got onto the Missouri staff where he was originally a coach for the safeties. That job led to his role as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator.

What does this mean for Illinois football?

I believe this is a huge hire for the Illini. We went from a coaching staff that didn’t seem to have much zest to now taking a defensive coordinator from an SEC program. That is an impressive leap.

Walters also has a solid reputation for improving the Missouri defense. Walters took over the defensive coordinator role when Barry Odom became head coach. In year one, the defense gave up 34.4 points per game and ranked No. 97 in the nation. From there, things seemed to get better.

By year two, Walters had the Missouri defense giving up 30.9 points per game, which ranked No. 87 in the nation. The following year they gave up 26.4 points per game and ranked No. 54 in the nation. In 2019 they only give up 21.2 points per game, which ranked No. 24 in the nation. After a change at head coach, the Tigers’ defense took a step backward last season, though, ranking No. 86 in the nation and giving up 32.3 points per game.

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I think the capabilities for Walters to be a good defensive coordinator is there. He has a history of improving the Missouri defense. Now he is tasked with transforming the Illini defense. I can’t wait to see it happen.

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