Illinois head coach Tim Beckman hired three new assistant coaches for his first staff on Tuesday – Chris Beatty, Luke Butkus and Jon Tenuta.
Three coaching spots remain to be filled.
“I am pleased to announce the additions … to the Fighting Illini coaching staff,” Beckman said. “Not only are all three of these men excellent coaches, they are outstanding individuals who will fit in extremely well here.”
Beatty is originally from Vanderbilt University where he was a wide receivers coach and an offensive recruiting coordinator.
Prior to his time there, he spent three seasons at West Virginia University as a running backs and slot receivers coach and director of recruiting. He also served as offensive coordinator, quarterbacks and receivers coach at Hampton University in 2006 and running backs coach at Northern Illinois University in 2007.
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He led the Pirates to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and entrance into the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs.
“Chris is thought of as one of the top young coaches in the nation, especially as a recruiter,” Beckman said.
Butkus has spent the past five seasons in the NFL, the last two with the Seattle Seahawks as a quality control assistant concentrated on the offensive line. Before then, he worked as an assistant offensive line coach for three seasons with the Chicago Bears from 2007-09.
Butkus, who had been a three-year starting center at Illinois from 1999 to 2001, was a two-time All-Big Ten selection in 2000 and 2001. He also helped in an Illini victory at the 1999 MicronPC.com Bowl and a Big Ten title and appearance in the Sugar Bowl in 2001.
“Luke obviously brings one of the great names in the history of football and the University of Illinois back to our program,” Beckman said. “He was a terrific player for the Illini and has worked very hard in the coaching profession to put himself in this position.”
Tenuta has been a collegiate coach for 31 years and comes to Illinois from North Carolina State University where he has been coaching linebackers for the past two seasons.
“John is considered one of the top defensive coaches in the nation and has a world of great experience that he will bring to Illinois,” Beckman said.
Beckman said all three will begin recruiting immediately.
