The most glaring issue for the Illinois football team this season has been the shortcomings of the defense.
While the Rutgers game acts as an outlier, this Illini defense has shown to be one of the worst in the Big Ten. Although injuries have depleted it, most of the deficiencies seem to come from a lack of competence at the coordinator position.
Soft coverage, lackluster quarterback pressure, and the inability to stop seemingly anything have put defensive coordinator Aaron Henry’s job on the hot seat.
With multiple high-profile head coaches being fired midseason around the college football landscape, coaching staff shake-ups are sure to be abundant. This could greatly benefit the Illini should they decide to move on from Henry.
Multiple coaches on the market should be intriguing for the Illinois football program
One coach that could be available is Auburn defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin. With the recent firing of Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze, Durkin may look to move on.
Although Auburn has had a disastrous season thus far, none of that has been on the defense. They have consistently stifled top SEC teams, including Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Georgia, and Missouri, allowing 24, 16, 20, and 23 points, respectively.
The Illini have allowed 27 or more points in five of their six conference games, and Durkin would go a long way in improving that.
Jim Knowles of Penn State is another name to keep an eye on. With the firing of James Franklin, Knowles could be looking for a third team in three years after coaching Ohio State’s defense to a national championship.
Knowles’ winning prowess would help elevate the program to the next tier, something Bielema and Illinois need in order to sustain this current success.
Bielema’s immense respect across the college football world and the program's rise in recent years make the defensive coordinator job at Illinois a tantalizing job and one that deserves to be filled by a reliable leader.