Former Florida center Mike Degory will join the Illini coaching staff as the offensive graduate assistant, the athletic department announced Friday.

Degory was a four-year starter at Florida, playing a record 50 games from 2002 to 2005. As a high school senior, he was the starting center on the Palm Beach High School team that won Florida’s 6-A state championship and was named the MVP of the championship game.

“He’s a great guy, very intelligent,” Zook said. “We’ve been very, very impressed with the way he’s handled things these last few weeks.”

Former Illinois quarterback Chris Pazan, who had been serving as the team’s offensive graduate assistant, will now work in the video department as what Zook calls “our offensive quality control guy.”

“He looks for things like offensive breakdowns, what’s going well, what’s not going well, all kinds of statistics and things, but it ties into the video department,” Zook said. “It’s a pretty intense position that will keep him very involved with the football part of things.”

Joining Pazan in the video department will be former Carthage College assistant Tony Buyniski. Buyniski joins the staff as Illinois’ assistant video coordinator, after working for the Red Men as a student assistant and later assistant.

Recievers coach hired

Former Eastern Kentucky offensive coordinator Kurt Beathard has been hired as Illinois football’s outside receivers coach, the athletic department announced during spring break.

Eastern Kentucky’s offense set every single-season record for offense during Beathard’s three years there. The team also led the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring, passing and total offense.

Before coaching the Colonels, Beathard served as the offensive coordinator at Bucknell University and Western Carolina.

Beathard played quarterback for two seasons at Towson University. His father, Bobby Beathard, is the former general manager of the Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers.

Homecoming date announced

The 2007 Illinois homecoming game will be played Oct. 27 against Ball State University.

The finalized football schedule features six home games, with four against Big Ten opponents.

The season will kick off with the return of the Braggin’ Rights game against Mizzou in St. Louis. Illinois will host Western Illinois at home the following weekend, then head to Syracuse. The Big Ten opener will be played at Indiana on Sept. 22.

Other season highlights include Dad’s Day against Wisconsin on Oct. 6 and Senior Day against Northwestern on Nov. 17.