CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — Aaron Henry credits new Illini head coach Bret Bielema with a big portion of his success. Henry was recruited by Bielema and played for him at Wisconsin, learned the ropes of coaching under him as a grad assistant at Arkansas and is now the Illinois defensive backs coach for the Illini. So when it comes to recruiting under Bielema, the pitch for Henry is simple.
“I can genuinely tell them I’m a direct reflection of what it’s like to play for an honorable, credible, smart and I can you this, Bret Bielema is the real deal and I am a living testimony of that,” Henry said during his introductory press conference to Illini media on Zoom Thursday. “I’m genuinely so thankful for this dude.”
Henry spent last season at Vanderbilt as cornerbacks coach. He brings five years of Power 5 coaching experience to Champaign, with previous stops at North Carolina State and Rutgers.
HENRY AT A GLANCE
Coaching Experience
2020: Vanderbilt (Cornerbacks)
2018-19: North Carolina State (Cornerbacks)
2017: North Carolina State (Safeties)
2016: Rutgers (Defensive Backs)
2014-15: Arkansas (Graduate Assistant – Defense)
Playing Experience
2007-11: Wisconsin