CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Luke Butkus will return to his alma mater for his second stint as offensive line coach at the University of Illinois, head coach Lovie Smith announced Thursday. Butkus was a two-time All-Big Ten selection for the Fighting Illini from 1997-2001, and served as a captain of the 2001 Big Ten championship squad that advanced to the Sugar Bowl. He returned to Champaign to coach the offensive line in 2012.
“The Butkus name is associated with the University of Illinois and the game of football as a sign of excellence and toughness,” Smith said. “I’m very proud to be able to announce Luke Butkus as the first member of our coaching staff as coach of the offensive line. I’ve known Luke since he was on our staff with the Chicago Bears, and have followed his career since. He relates extremely well to the players he coaches and will play an important role in the growth of our program.”
Butkus will work with Smith for the second time in his career. He was an offensive assistant/assistant offensive line coach for the Chicago Bears from 2007-09 while Smith was the head coach. Butkus also made stops as a quality control assistant with the Seattle Seahawks (2010-11) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2013-15), as he has spent eight of the last nine seasons in the NFL.
Butkus, a native of Steger, Illinois, is the nephew of former Illinois and Chicago Bears legend Dick Butkus, who starred at Illinois from 1962-64. He followed in his uncle’s footsteps as a standout for the Illini, starting at center for three seasons and earning third-team All-America selection as a senior.
Butkus had stints in the NFL as a player with San Diego in 2003 and Chicago in 2002. He also played in NFL Europe with the Cologne Centurions in 2004 and Rhein Fire in 2003.
Butkus Coaching History
2005 – Oregon, Graduate Assistant
2006 – Oregon Graduate Assistant
2007 – Chicago Bears offensive assistant/assistant offensive line coach
2008 – Chicago Bears offensive assistant/assistant offensive line coach
2009 – Chicago Bears offensive assistant/assistant offensive line coach
2010 – Seattle Seahawks, quality control
2011 – Seattle Seahawks, quality control
2012 – Illinois, Offensive Line
2013 – Jacksonville Jaguars, Offensive Line
2014 – Jacksonville Jaguars, Offensive Line
2015 – Jacksonville Jaguars, Offensive Line
2016 – Illinois, Offensive Line
“The Butkus name is associated with the University of Illinois and the game of football as a sign of excellence and toughness,” Smith said. “I’m very proud to be able to announce Luke Butkus as the first member of our coaching staff as coach of the offensive line. I’ve known Luke since he was on our staff with the Chicago Bears, and have followed his career since. He relates extremely well to the players he coaches and will play an important role in the growth of our program.”
Butkus will work with Smith for the second time in his career. He was an offensive assistant/assistant offensive line coach for the Chicago Bears from 2007-09 while Smith was the head coach. Butkus also made stops as a quality control assistant with the Seattle Seahawks (2010-11) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2013-15), as he has spent eight of the last nine seasons in the NFL.
Butkus, a native of Steger, Illinois, is the nephew of former Illinois and Chicago Bears legend Dick Butkus, who starred at Illinois from 1962-64. He followed in his uncle’s footsteps as a standout for the Illini, starting at center for three seasons and earning third-team All-America selection as a senior.
Butkus had stints in the NFL as a player with San Diego in 2003 and Chicago in 2002. He also played in NFL Europe with the Cologne Centurions in 2004 and Rhein Fire in 2003.
Butkus Coaching History
2005 – Oregon, Graduate Assistant
2006 – Oregon Graduate Assistant
2007 – Chicago Bears offensive assistant/assistant offensive line coach
2008 – Chicago Bears offensive assistant/assistant offensive line coach
2009 – Chicago Bears offensive assistant/assistant offensive line coach
2010 – Seattle Seahawks, quality control
2011 – Seattle Seahawks, quality control
2012 – Illinois, Offensive Line
2013 – Jacksonville Jaguars, Offensive Line
2014 – Jacksonville Jaguars, Offensive Line
2015 – Jacksonville Jaguars, Offensive Line
2016 – Illinois, Offensive Line
