Local Sports

Coach Bielema Hires Offensive Coordinator, O-Line Coach

Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema made his first coaching staff hire Monday with the announcement of Tony Petersen as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.

 

Petersen has directed some of the nation's most exciting and prolific offenses during his 30-year college coaching career, serving as an offensive coordinator in the Big Ten, MAC, Conference USA, American and Sun Belt prior to taking the reins of the Fighting Illini offense.

 

Bielema said quote - "After competing against Tony and his offensive style and game plan I have had tremendous respect for him as a coach. Throughout his career he has blended the roster and skill sets of the players to maximize the results. Here at Illinois, we will build an offensive identity that will provide balance, use tempo, and play with a physicality that will make Illini Nation smile. No matter from playing on the road in a hostile environment or here at Memorial Stadium, we will execute and maximize our players' talents to build a sustained winning culture."

 

Petersen spent the 2020 season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Appalachian State, when the Mountaineers finished 9-3 overall with a Myrtle Beach Bowl victory over North Texas on December 21. App State averaged 452 yards in total offense (26th nationally), including 264.9 rushing yards (7th nationally), on the season.

 

He earned his bachelor's degree in sports management and marketing in 1990 and master's degree in administration in 1995, both from Marshall.
 
Petersen and his wife, Beth, have three children: Andy, Nikki Nelson and Taylor.

 

Bielema Tuesday named offensive line coach Bart Miller as the second member of his Illini football coaching staff. Miller joins a Bielema coaching staff for the second time and comes to Champaign-Urbana after two successful seasons as offensive line coach and Offensive Run-Game Coordinator at Wyoming.

 

Miller's first full-time coaching position came as the offensive line coach at Wisconsin under Bielema in 2012. He took over the offensive line unit in September of 2012 after serving as a graduate assistant coach the previous season at Wisconsin. The Badgers ranked No. 13 in the nation in rushing offense in 2012, averaging 236.36 rushing yards per game. Wisconsin won its third straight Big Ten Championship that season, defeating Nebraska 70-31 in the Big Ten Championship Game, and played in a third consecutive Rose Bowl. 

 

At Wisconsin, Miller coached First Team All-Big Ten selections Travis Frederick (center) and Rick Wagner (left tackle) in 2012. Frederick earned First Team All-America honors from Pro Football Weekly and went on to be the first-round selection of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL Draft. Wagner received Second Team All-America recognition from CBS and was a fifth-round selection by the Baltimore Ravens. A junior on that offensive line, guard Ryan Groy, went on to earn First Team All-Big Ten honors in 2013 and was a Third Team Associated Press All-American in 2013. He also went on to play in the NFL. Wisconsin's offensive line unit blocked for running back Montee Ball, who was the 2012 Doak Walker Award Winner, a two-time (2011 and '12) consensus All-American, the 2012 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and a 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist.

 

Bielema said quote - "Bart was able to show early in his career how effective he is as a teacher and motivator of young men. As a young coach I hired him as an offensive line coach and he helped us capture our third consecutive Big Ten title. Bart has Midwest roots and will help us recruit and keep Illinois players at home wearing the Orange and Blue. We are very excited to have Bart join our Illini family."

 

Miller played football and graduated from Elk Grove High School in the Chicago area prior to completing his bachelor's degree in organizational communication from New Mexico in 2007. He obtained a master's degree in education from New Mexico State in 2011. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Miller and his wife, Amy, have two sons, Barrett and Gunner. 

Townhall Top of the Hour News

Local Weather - Sponsored By:

CLINTON WEATHER

Local News

DeWittDN on Facebook