CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Archie McDaniel has been named Illinois' linebackers coach, head coach
Bret Bielema announced. McDaniel's contract is pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its next meeting in March.
McDaniel brings 17 years of collegiate coaching experience, including two as a co-coordinator, to Champaign. He also starred as a three-year starter at linebacker and team captain for Texas A&M during his playing career.
"I am excited to have Coach McDaniel join our Illini famILLy," said Bielema. "Coach McDaniel will be a huge asset to our linebackers room and our recruiting efforts in Illinois and nationally. His accomplishments and experiences as a player, coach, and person will bring an immediate impact to our building."
"Words can't describe how excited I am to be joining Coach Bielema and the Illinois football famILLy," said McDaniel. "Having the opportunity to be a part of this great program and university makes me feel extremely blessed. I can't wait to get to work with this great staff and our amazing student-athletes."
McDaniel spent the previous three seasons as linebackers coach at Houston from 2021-23. He helped the Cougars to two bowl wins, a top-20 finish in 2021, and the transition to Power-5 in the Big XII in 2023.
Under McDaniel's guidance, senior linebacker Donavan Mutin led the Cougars with 85 tackles during the 2022 season. The Spring, Texas, native capped his career with 252 tackles. Mutin's 245 tackles from 2019 to 2022 ranked seventh among all American Athletic Conference linebackers.
Linebackers Mannie Nunnery and Jamal Morris also turned in strong sophomore campaigns in 2022. Nunnery's 74.2 overall defensive grade by PFF ranked second among American Athletic Conference underclassmen linebackers. He also paced the league's underclassmen with a 78.2 coverage grade. Morris was key for the Cougars down the stretch, totaling 10 tackles against SMU on Nov. 5 and eight tackles in Houston's Independence Bowl victory against Louisiana.
In his first year as the program's linebackers coach, McDaniel helped the linebacker duo of Mutin and Deontay Anderson combine for 140 tackles. Under McDaniel's tutelage, Mutin's three forced fumbles ranked fourth in the American Athletic Conference. Mutin also earned Second-Team American All-Conference Team honors.
McDaniel joined the Cougars' coaching staff after spending two seasons at Texas State, coaching a pair of All-Sun Belt Conference linebackers during the 2019 season. He coached 2019 All-Sun Belt First-Team selection Bryan London II, who ranked second in the conference with 118 tackles in 2019 and linebacker Nik Daniels, who was also selected as an All-Sun Belt Third Team performer.
Prior to Texas State, McDaniel spent the 2018 season at New Mexico as the Lobos' outside linebackers coach. McDaniel returned to New Mexico after serving three years as linebackers coach at SMU (2015-17). The Mustangs were one of college football's 10 most-improved defenses in 2016, ranking seventh nationally in interceptions while forcing 26 turnovers.
McDaniel also spent three seasons at New Mexico (2012-14), working as the defensive line coach (2012-13) before moving to linebackers (2014). He served as an assistant coach at Tulsa from 2010-11, working with the Golden Hurricanes' tight-ends/H-backs in 2010 before taking over as defensive line coach in 2011.
As a linebacker, McDaniel helped Texas A&M to a berth in the 2005 Cotton Bowl and recorded 213 tackles, five sacks and two interceptions during his three-year career from 2003-05.
McDaniel also serves as the president of the Minority Coaches Advancement Association, an organization founded in 2020 that holds events and meetings to help train and prepare minority coaches for head-coaching positions in college football.
illinois.rivals.com
illinois.rivals.com
