Bob Asmussen | Future head coaches? The guess is Henry, Lunney will get their shot

Jun. 19—URBANA — Some college football programs — good ones and bad — keep their assistant coaches away from the media.

With few exceptions. It’s the whole “one voice” gobbledygook that makes no sense. And limits the exposure for the outside world to a lot of very smart people.

Give Illinois coach Bret Bielema credit. He allows his coaches to speak to the media.

Like on Monday at the Illini Quarterback Club outing. After Bielema talked for 15 informative minutes, offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. and defensive coordinator Aaron Henry took their turns at Atkins Golf Club.

Both are comfortable with the media and, more important, quotable. Though they have different styles, they help reporters tell their stories. That is always a good thing.

Their time with the media will serve them well. I believe that Henry and Lunney are going to be college head coaches, sooner rather than later.

Bielema already has one of his former assistants from Illinois wearing the big whistle. Two years in at Illinois, defensive coordinator Ryan Walters took over at Purdue. In a perfect world for Bielema, Walters’ first top job would have been outside the Big Ten, but he had to go when the offer came.

Purdue and Illinois are locked in as rivals, meaning they will play each season, unless the Big Ten adds more schools.

Walters received his chance earlier than many expected and definitely at a desirable level. The Big Ten is not normally where a guy lands his first head coaching job. Though, important to point out, Bielema’s first time as the boss was at Wisconsin … with one of the best programs in the league.

Who is next?Lunney enters his third year as the Illinois offensive coordinator. The one-time high school offensive coordinator turns 50 on Sept. 11.

He has never been a permanent head coach at any level, though he did serve as…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bob-asmussen-future-head-coaches-144900574.html

Author : The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

Publish date : 2024-06-19 14:49:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.