Bruce Weber filled a big hole in his coaching staff Wednesday by announcing former Illini guard Jerrance Howard as his new assistant coach.

The move fills a vacancy left two weeks ago when three-year assistant Tracy Webster, the team’s top recruiter, resigned his position to join Billy Gillispie’s coaching staff at Kentucky.

Howard, 27, was emotional following the announcement and said it has been his dream to return home to Illinois since he left.

“I’ve been smiling all day inside,” Howard said at a press conference. “It’s a good feeling inside and a good opportunity just to be back at home. I knew I’d be back here but I didn’t know how soon. This is what I’ve been waiting for.”

Howard’s r‚sum‚ includes his stint on the Illinois basketball team from 2001-04 when he backed up All-Americans Deron Williams, Dee Brown and Frank Williams. From there, Howard worked at Texas A&M; with Gillispie and, in his words, helped “turn the program around.” Howard said to be back at Illinois already with so much experience is a script he couldn’t have written better if he tried.

“I know how to work and I know how to get it done. And I’ll get it done here,” Howard said. “Like Coach Gillispie would say, ‘You gotta hit the ground running,’ and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

Howard said he has no doubts he can step in and is more than able to contribute. He responded to any concerns over his recruiting ability head-on.

“Everybody that’s questioning my recruiting skills, I’ve been recruiting since I was in this world,” Howard said. “I want to recruit everywhere. I was just in Texas and when you’re at an elite program like this, you can recruit anywhere. We’re going to start here in state.”

When Webster left two weeks before the busy recruiting period, obvious questions arose as to who, if anyone in the potential field of replacements, could secure in-state talent and not lose ground to rival schools. Howard says he’s that guy.

“I know there’s going to be some negativity about me not having any experience, but I’m looking forward to proving those people wrong,” Howard said. “To help these guys become leaders and become better people, that’s what I’m going to do. And I’m going to be Jerrance Howard. That’s all I know. I’m going to get to work and I’m going to figure it out.”

Head coach Bruce Weber said Howard’s insertion into the coaching vacancy gives Illinois a personable, potentially long-term assistant who ultimately may turn out to be a better fit for the program.

“To say the least it’s been a hectic two weeks,” Weber said. “We went through the process, visited with a handful of people and when it came down to it, it was the same criteria we had in the beginning.

“(Jerrance) loves to talk. He has that charisma, that contagious personality. He’s a pied piper not only with the recruiting but with our guys. He’s a young guy that can listen, and I think that’s going to benefit us in the long run.”

Weber said Howard’s positive attitude and passion for Illinois separated him from other potential candidates.

“I think his positive attitude and his passion for this school and our program, I think that will show to the recruits. He can say, ‘I played here. I know what it’s about.'”

In the coming days, Howard plans to take necessary tests to become eligible to make recruiting trips.

When he played, the Illini won three Big Ten Championships, a Big Ten Tournament title and appeared in the NCAA Tournament all four years. They advanced to the Elite Eight in 2001 and the Sweet 16 in both 2002 and 2004.

“When I was here I knew I wanted to coach,” Howard said. “What a feeling. Home is home, and your experience here at the University of Illinois stays with you forever.”