Phair, McGarigle and Williams Retained to Lovie Smith’s Illini Staff
Scheelhaase Moves to Non-Coaching Position
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois head football coach Lovie Smith has retained four members of the previous Fighting Illini coaching staff – Tim McGarigle, Mike Phair, Paul Williams and Nathan Scheelhaase. McGarigle, Phair and Williams will serve as assistant coaches, while Scheelhaase will remain on the Fighting Illini staff in a non-coaching role.
Phair will coach the defensive line, McGarigle will continue as linebackers coach and Paul Williams will remain the secondary coach. Scheelhaase’s specific role has yet to be determined.
“I am very pleased to have Mike Phair, Tim McGarigle and Paul Williams on our Fighting Illini coaching staff,” said Smith. “Mike has worked with me at two other places and is an excellent football coach. In addition to his outstanding coaching skills, his experience here at Illinois over the last year will be invaluable.
“After meeting with both Coach McGarigle and Coach Williams,I was very impressed with the energy they bring to our staff, as well as their coaching background and experience,” Smith continued. “Even though they were on the Illini staff only for a few weeks, they will be very helpful in the transition. I’m also excited that Nathan will continue working with the program. He is an outstanding young man who loves the Fighting Illini."
Illinois and head coach Lovie Smith are finalizing the coaching staff. Smith is expected to announce a running backs coach and tight ends coach/special teams coordinator soon.
Mike Phair
Phair is entering his second season at Illinois after serving as co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach in 2015. He came to Illinois following 13 years in the NFL, including four seasons working under Lovie Smith during stops in Tampa Bay (2014) and Chicago (2011-13).
In 2015, Phair helped the Illini defense make huge improvements across the board, jumping 79 spots in the national rankings in total defense (109th to 30th) and 70 spots in scoring defense (107th to 37th) from 2014 to 2015. The Illini ranked among the national leaders in third down conversion defense (.314, 12th), passing yards allowed (184.4, 15th) and tackles for loss (7.4, 16th).
Phair spent the 2014 season as assistant defensive line coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he helped coach a group that tallied 33 sacks, tied for the fourth-most by any defensive line in the NFL. The Buccaneers defensive line, which included former Illini Akeem Spence, accounted for 91.7 percent of the team’s total sacks - second-highest in the league. He also coached Gerald McCoy, who was selected to the Pro Bowl and recorded 8.5 sacks.
Phair joined the Buccaneers following three seasons with the Chicago Bears (2011-13) as the defensive line coach. While with the Bears, Phair coached Pro Bowlers Julius Peppers (2011, 2012) and Henry Melton (2012). His 2012 defense led the NFL with 44 takeaways.
Prior to joining Chicago, Phair spent six seasons with Seattle, three as a coach (2008-10) and three as an area scout (2005-07), working with the team during its 2005 NFC Championship season. Phair began his NFL coaching career in 2008 with Seattle as an assistant linebackers coach. In 2009, Phair became the assistant defensive line coach and in his last season with Seattle (2010), Phair worked with the defensive line as the defensive assistant.
In his first stint with Buccaneers (2002-04), Phair spent time in the front office as a college scout, including working with the staff during the 2002 Super Bowl XXVII championship season.
Before getting into the NFL ranks, Phair started his coaching career as a graduate assistant (1999-2000) for his alma mater, Arizona State, working with the defensive line and coaching Terrell Suggs, who earned All-America honors. After coaching at Arizona State, Phair went on to be the linebackers and special teams coach at Tiffin University (Tiffin, Ohio) in 2001.
Phair played collegiately at Arizona State (1990-92), earning a starting spot at linebacker after joining the team as a walk-on. He began his playing career with Mesa Community College (1988-89), where was an all-conference linebacker.
Phair earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology at Arizona State in 1994 and a master’s in secondary education curriculum and instruction from ASU in 2000.
Tim McGarigle
McGarigle was hired at Illinois on Jan. 2, 2016, after spending the previous four seasons at Western Michigan University. He became linebackers coach at WMU prior to the 2012 season and added the title of run game coordinator in the spring of 2014.
McGarigle had a stellar career at Northwestern, finishing as the college games's most prolific tackler, holding the FBS career record of 545 total tackles (NCAA tackles records date back to 2000. Dana Howard holds the Illinois career tackles record with 595 from 1991-94). He was a semifinalist for both the Dick Butkus and Chuck Bednarik Awards in 2005, while earning All-Big Ten honors in 2004 and 2005.
The Chicago native was drafted in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams and played three seasons. During that time he was named NFL Special Teams Player of the Week against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 7, 2007 and was named the team's Iron Man following the 2007 offseason for superior achievement and dedication during team workouts. McGarigle also played two seasons in the United Football League for the Florida Tuskers.
McGarigle, a 2006 Northwestern graduate with a bachelor's in communications studies, returned to his alma mater in 2011 and served as the defensive quality control assistant and graduate assistant for the Wildcats as he pursued his masters in sports administration. McGarigle attended St. Patrick High School in Chicago and was inducted into the Shamrock Hall of Fame in 2008.
He and his wife Charlotte had a daughter, Claire, who turned 2 in February.
Paul Williams
Williams was initially hired at Illinois on Jan. 2, 2016, following five seasons as the defensive backs coach at Miami. He will be entering his 20th season of collegiate coaching in 2016.
A native of Newark, Delaware, Williams had stops at Lafayette College, Penn, Delaware and Western Michigan before joining Al Golden's staff at Temple in 2007 and followed Golden to Miami in 2011. During his six seasons at his alma mater, the University of Delaware, he coached the secondary, wide receivers and special teams while helping the Blue Hens to a 15-1 record and the NCAA Division I-AA national championship in 2003.
Williams earned a bachelor's degree in physical education studies from Delaware in 1996, lettering four years and playing on two Yankee Conference championship teams. Williams recorded 189 tackles, 27 pass breakups and 10 interceptions for the Blue Hens. He set an NCAA I-AA playoff record with a 100-yard interception return against Hofstra in 1995. A multi-sport athlete, he set the school record in the indoor 200 meters and won the 200 meters at the 1993 American East Outdoor Championships. He is married to the former Nicole Heileman. The couple has a son, Austin, and twins Jaxon and Leah.
Nathan Scheelhaase
Scheelhaase was hired at Illinois in May 2015 as assistant director of football operations, before being moved to running backs coach in August 2015. His new role on Lovie Smith’s staff has yet to be determined.
As a four-year starting quarterback for the Fighting Illini from 2010-13, Scheelhaase finished his career as the Illini’s all-time total offense leader with 10,634 yards, a total that ranks seventh in Big Ten history. In 2013 he had one of the best offensive seasons in Illinois football history, leading the conference in passing yardage (272.7 ypg), total offense (295.2 ypg) and completion percentage (66.7) during his senior campaign, while also breaking the school record for passing efficiency (140.7) to earn All-Big Ten honors.
A four-year starter and two-time team captain, Scheelhaase is the only quarterback in UI history to lead the Illini to bowl victories in back-to-back seasons and is one of just two players in Big Ten history to amass over 8,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards in his career. He finished among the Illinois career leaders in almost every quarterback category, ranking first in starts (48), second in completion percentage (63.0), completions (775) and rushing yards by a QB (2,066), and third in passing yardage (8,568), touchdown passes (55) and passing efficiency (130.2).
Off the field, Scheelhaase was an unquestioned leader during his five years on campus. He earned the prestigious Big Ten Medal of Honor in 2014, was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and earned two degrees from the University of Illinois - a bachelor’s degree in communication (2012) and a master’s in sports management (2014). He was a Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative, vice president of the UI Uplifting Athletes chapter, was active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and regularly took part in “Hometown Heroes” activities throughout his career, including countless visits to visits local schools and hospitals. After college, Scheelhaase spent 2014-15 as a high school pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.
Scheelhaase married his high school sweetheart, Morgan, in July 2013.
Scheelhaase Moves to Non-Coaching Position
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois head football coach Lovie Smith has retained four members of the previous Fighting Illini coaching staff – Tim McGarigle, Mike Phair, Paul Williams and Nathan Scheelhaase. McGarigle, Phair and Williams will serve as assistant coaches, while Scheelhaase will remain on the Fighting Illini staff in a non-coaching role.
Phair will coach the defensive line, McGarigle will continue as linebackers coach and Paul Williams will remain the secondary coach. Scheelhaase’s specific role has yet to be determined.
“I am very pleased to have Mike Phair, Tim McGarigle and Paul Williams on our Fighting Illini coaching staff,” said Smith. “Mike has worked with me at two other places and is an excellent football coach. In addition to his outstanding coaching skills, his experience here at Illinois over the last year will be invaluable.
“After meeting with both Coach McGarigle and Coach Williams,I was very impressed with the energy they bring to our staff, as well as their coaching background and experience,” Smith continued. “Even though they were on the Illini staff only for a few weeks, they will be very helpful in the transition. I’m also excited that Nathan will continue working with the program. He is an outstanding young man who loves the Fighting Illini."
Illinois and head coach Lovie Smith are finalizing the coaching staff. Smith is expected to announce a running backs coach and tight ends coach/special teams coordinator soon.
Mike Phair
Phair is entering his second season at Illinois after serving as co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach in 2015. He came to Illinois following 13 years in the NFL, including four seasons working under Lovie Smith during stops in Tampa Bay (2014) and Chicago (2011-13).
In 2015, Phair helped the Illini defense make huge improvements across the board, jumping 79 spots in the national rankings in total defense (109th to 30th) and 70 spots in scoring defense (107th to 37th) from 2014 to 2015. The Illini ranked among the national leaders in third down conversion defense (.314, 12th), passing yards allowed (184.4, 15th) and tackles for loss (7.4, 16th).
Phair spent the 2014 season as assistant defensive line coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he helped coach a group that tallied 33 sacks, tied for the fourth-most by any defensive line in the NFL. The Buccaneers defensive line, which included former Illini Akeem Spence, accounted for 91.7 percent of the team’s total sacks - second-highest in the league. He also coached Gerald McCoy, who was selected to the Pro Bowl and recorded 8.5 sacks.
Phair joined the Buccaneers following three seasons with the Chicago Bears (2011-13) as the defensive line coach. While with the Bears, Phair coached Pro Bowlers Julius Peppers (2011, 2012) and Henry Melton (2012). His 2012 defense led the NFL with 44 takeaways.
Prior to joining Chicago, Phair spent six seasons with Seattle, three as a coach (2008-10) and three as an area scout (2005-07), working with the team during its 2005 NFC Championship season. Phair began his NFL coaching career in 2008 with Seattle as an assistant linebackers coach. In 2009, Phair became the assistant defensive line coach and in his last season with Seattle (2010), Phair worked with the defensive line as the defensive assistant.
In his first stint with Buccaneers (2002-04), Phair spent time in the front office as a college scout, including working with the staff during the 2002 Super Bowl XXVII championship season.
Before getting into the NFL ranks, Phair started his coaching career as a graduate assistant (1999-2000) for his alma mater, Arizona State, working with the defensive line and coaching Terrell Suggs, who earned All-America honors. After coaching at Arizona State, Phair went on to be the linebackers and special teams coach at Tiffin University (Tiffin, Ohio) in 2001.
Phair played collegiately at Arizona State (1990-92), earning a starting spot at linebacker after joining the team as a walk-on. He began his playing career with Mesa Community College (1988-89), where was an all-conference linebacker.
Phair earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology at Arizona State in 1994 and a master’s in secondary education curriculum and instruction from ASU in 2000.
Tim McGarigle
McGarigle was hired at Illinois on Jan. 2, 2016, after spending the previous four seasons at Western Michigan University. He became linebackers coach at WMU prior to the 2012 season and added the title of run game coordinator in the spring of 2014.
McGarigle had a stellar career at Northwestern, finishing as the college games's most prolific tackler, holding the FBS career record of 545 total tackles (NCAA tackles records date back to 2000. Dana Howard holds the Illinois career tackles record with 595 from 1991-94). He was a semifinalist for both the Dick Butkus and Chuck Bednarik Awards in 2005, while earning All-Big Ten honors in 2004 and 2005.
The Chicago native was drafted in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams and played three seasons. During that time he was named NFL Special Teams Player of the Week against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 7, 2007 and was named the team's Iron Man following the 2007 offseason for superior achievement and dedication during team workouts. McGarigle also played two seasons in the United Football League for the Florida Tuskers.
McGarigle, a 2006 Northwestern graduate with a bachelor's in communications studies, returned to his alma mater in 2011 and served as the defensive quality control assistant and graduate assistant for the Wildcats as he pursued his masters in sports administration. McGarigle attended St. Patrick High School in Chicago and was inducted into the Shamrock Hall of Fame in 2008.
He and his wife Charlotte had a daughter, Claire, who turned 2 in February.
Paul Williams
Williams was initially hired at Illinois on Jan. 2, 2016, following five seasons as the defensive backs coach at Miami. He will be entering his 20th season of collegiate coaching in 2016.
A native of Newark, Delaware, Williams had stops at Lafayette College, Penn, Delaware and Western Michigan before joining Al Golden's staff at Temple in 2007 and followed Golden to Miami in 2011. During his six seasons at his alma mater, the University of Delaware, he coached the secondary, wide receivers and special teams while helping the Blue Hens to a 15-1 record and the NCAA Division I-AA national championship in 2003.
Williams earned a bachelor's degree in physical education studies from Delaware in 1996, lettering four years and playing on two Yankee Conference championship teams. Williams recorded 189 tackles, 27 pass breakups and 10 interceptions for the Blue Hens. He set an NCAA I-AA playoff record with a 100-yard interception return against Hofstra in 1995. A multi-sport athlete, he set the school record in the indoor 200 meters and won the 200 meters at the 1993 American East Outdoor Championships. He is married to the former Nicole Heileman. The couple has a son, Austin, and twins Jaxon and Leah.
Nathan Scheelhaase
Scheelhaase was hired at Illinois in May 2015 as assistant director of football operations, before being moved to running backs coach in August 2015. His new role on Lovie Smith’s staff has yet to be determined.
As a four-year starting quarterback for the Fighting Illini from 2010-13, Scheelhaase finished his career as the Illini’s all-time total offense leader with 10,634 yards, a total that ranks seventh in Big Ten history. In 2013 he had one of the best offensive seasons in Illinois football history, leading the conference in passing yardage (272.7 ypg), total offense (295.2 ypg) and completion percentage (66.7) during his senior campaign, while also breaking the school record for passing efficiency (140.7) to earn All-Big Ten honors.
A four-year starter and two-time team captain, Scheelhaase is the only quarterback in UI history to lead the Illini to bowl victories in back-to-back seasons and is one of just two players in Big Ten history to amass over 8,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards in his career. He finished among the Illinois career leaders in almost every quarterback category, ranking first in starts (48), second in completion percentage (63.0), completions (775) and rushing yards by a QB (2,066), and third in passing yardage (8,568), touchdown passes (55) and passing efficiency (130.2).
Off the field, Scheelhaase was an unquestioned leader during his five years on campus. He earned the prestigious Big Ten Medal of Honor in 2014, was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and earned two degrees from the University of Illinois - a bachelor’s degree in communication (2012) and a master’s in sports management (2014). He was a Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative, vice president of the UI Uplifting Athletes chapter, was active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and regularly took part in “Hometown Heroes” activities throughout his career, including countless visits to visits local schools and hospitals. After college, Scheelhaase spent 2014-15 as a high school pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.
Scheelhaase married his high school sweetheart, Morgan, in July 2013.
