CHAMPAIGN — Consider Lovie Smith's coaching staff complete. Illinois officially announced the hiring of former Illini Mike Bellamy as running backs coach, the promotion of analyst Bob McClain to offensive line coach and the return of Lou Hernandez as strength and conditioning coach Wednesday afternoon.
Bellamy is in his second stint as an Illinois assistant after spending four years on Tim Beckman's coaching staff, including one as an assistant director of player personell and relations and three as wide receivers coach. The former Illini wide receiver was a quality control coach at Mississippi State in 2016 and spent the last two years at Toledo as wide receivers coach.