Bret Bielema has made his first staff hire.
Tony Petersen will be Illinois’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
“After competing against Tony and his offensive style and game plan I have had tremendous respect for him as a coach,” Bielema said in a statement Monday night. “Throughout his career he has blended the roster and skill sets of the players to maximize the results. Here at Illinois, we will build an offensive identity that will provide balance, use tempo, and play with a physicality that will make Illini Nation smile. No matter from playing on the road in a hostile environment or here at Memorial Stadium, we will execute and maximize our players’ talents to build a sustained winning culture.