Lunney hired as Illini’s attack coordinator | Sports

Champaign — Brett Burma acted swiftly to provide a new direction for the Illinois attack. Irini’s coach, who officially announced that he had fired offensive coordinator / quarterback coach Tony Petersen on Friday night, hired Barry Lunney Jr. in the same role late Saturday morning. Both moves have been working for some time. Lunney’s adoption is awaiting approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

“I’m very excited to take Barry Luni to a family at the University of Illinois and put him in a position to lead our attack,” Bielema said in an official release. “He has been successful at all levels of coaching and has a system that helps guide our attacks to new levels of success. He is a great teacher, communicator, and leader of ours. Staff and players are attracted. “

Bielema’s tight-end coach at Arkansaw in 2013-17, Lunney rejoined Illini after spending the last two seasons as Associate Head Coach, Attack Coordinator and Quarterback Coach at Texas San Antonio. UTSA won 12-2 in 2021 and 37-30 in Illinois, with road runners launching a total of 497 yards. This included a 117-yard game in which sincere McCormick and quarterback Frank Harris pulled Irini’s secondary 280 yards and a single touchdown.

The UTSA offense was ranked 11th in the nation in the 2021 score, 36.9 points per game, and the total offense was 439 yards, 34th. Conversely, Illinois recorded an attack at 20.2 ppg, ranking 115th nationwide and 1129.8 yards per game for a total of 112th.

After spending six seasons at his alma mater, Arkansas, Lunney joined the UTSA staff and was a tight-end coach and special team coordinator during his tenure. He was also appointed as interim coach in the second half of the 2019 season after Chad Morris was fired. Lunney also spent three seasons in Tulsa (2000-02), two seasons in San Jose State (2003-04), and nine seasons as an attack coordinator at Bentonville (Ark.) High School before Bielema hired him for the first time. I did.

“I am thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to join the Bielema coach at the University of Illinois,” Lunney said in the same release. “Coach B is one of the most respected coaches in college football. I look forward to building on the foundation he set up for his first year in Champaign. After spending five years together. , The opportunity to work with Coach B again was one for me. I couldn’t miss it. “

Scott Richey is a reporter on college basketball in The News-Gazette.His email is srichey@news-gazette.comYou can follow him on Twitter (@srrichey).

Lunney hired as Illini’s attack coordinator | Sports

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