Illinois has hired former Illini player and assistant Greg Colby as its new defensive line coach.

Illinois coach Tim Beckman on Tuesday called Colby a vastly experienced coach with a track record of recruiting Chicago.

Colby was a starter on three Illinois teams in the early 1970s and was an Illini assistant coach from 1988 through 1995. He is a native of nearby Danville.

Colby was head coach at Division II Millersville University in Pennsylvania from 2008 through his resignation this month. He was 11-44 in five seasons.

Previously Colby also worked as an assistant at Northwestern, Michigan State and Kent State.

Colby replaces Keith Gilmore who left this month for North Carolina.