Bob McClain isn’t the friendliest coach on the Illinois staff — offensive coordinator Rod Smith has that title locked up — but he’s close.
The first time I met McClain was the day before his hiring became official. He greeted me like we had known each other for years.
Maybe it’s a West Virginia thing. That’s where McClain and Smith first worked together. And that’s where they both grew up.
McClain served as an Illini offensive analyst in 2018, reuniting with longtime buddy Smith. When Luke Butkus left to become an assistant offensive line coach with the Green Bay Packers, Lovie Smith didn’t need to look very far to find his replacement.