Notebook: 'Year of transition' for Illini football staff; Illini still 'open for business' with transfers

Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema has experienced significant turnover among his assistant coaching staff, with five of his 10 assistants departing for other Power Four programs or NFL teams over the past six weeks. Key departures include defensive coordinator Aaron Henry, who joined Notre Dame as co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach, and defensive line coach Terrance Jamison, who moved to the Buffalo Bills. Additionally, Robby Discher has left for Ohio State, Thad Ward for Kansas State, and Trent Harris for Duke.

In response, Bielema has made several new hires to rebuild his staff. Jared Elliott, formerly of New Mexico and a former head coach at Western Illinois, has been appointed as the tight ends coach. Bobby Hauck, a longtime head coach at Montana, has been hired as the new defensive coordinator. Chris Hurd has been promoted to special teams coordinator. Bielema is expected to appoint a new running backs coach within the next week and is actively interviewing candidates for other defensive