CHAMPAIGN — University of Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema filled his first coaching roster Thursday when he named Kevin Kane to his staff as associate head coach/outside linebackers coach.
“It is a pleasure to name Kevin Kane as the final addition of our coaching staff at the University of Illinois,” Bielema said. “I first hired Kevin as a defensive graduate assistant and now I’ve seen his career grow, develop and flourish in the coaching profession as an assistant coach as well as a coordinator."
Welcome to the #Illini, associate head coach/outside linebackers coach Kevin Kane!
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) January 22, 2021
📝 » https://t.co/qLu0EYiLbz pic.twitter.com/Zfab06D5MC
Kane reunites with Bielema following three seasons leading a stingy defense at SMU as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
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“I am fired up to get back to Illinois and work with Coach B,” Kane said. “I’ve previously coached in the state of Illinois and worked for Coach B, and I know we will have success here.”
Kane joined the SMU staff in 2018 and in his first two seasons led the Mustangs to several national top 25 rankings, including the No. 1 ranking for sacks per game (3.92) and No. 3 ranking in tackles for loss (8.5 avg) in 2019.
He made the move to SMU after spending the 2016 and 2017 seasons as the defensive coordinator at Northern Illinois. That was his second stint at NIU, having served in multiple capacities for the Huskies from 2011-14. During the 2015 season, Kane coached linebackers at Kansas.
Kane helped the Huskies to five bowl appearances during his time in DeKalb, including a win in the 2012 GoDaddy.com Bowl over Arkansas State, and three MAC Championships. The Huskies ranked 26th in the nation in total defense in 2017, leading the nation in tackles for loss (8.8) and ranking second in sacks (3.31) and fourth in defensive TDs (5). NIU ranked seventh nationally in yards per play allowed at just 4.52, trailing only Alabama, Clemson, Wisconsin, Washington, Ohio State and Michigan.
NIU also ranked in the top 20 in third down conversion percentage defense (11th), rushing defense (16th) and first downs allowed (19th). In 2016, NIU ranked 17th nationally and led the MAC in red zone defense.
Kane made the move to NIU after three seasons (2008-10) at Wisconsin, serving as a graduate assistant (2008-09) and quality control assistant (2010) under Bielema. While at Wisconsin, the Badgers earned berths to the 2008 and 2009 Champs Sports Bowls and 2011 Rose Bowl.
His coaching career began in 2006 at Kansas, where he spent two seasons as a student assistant for his alma mater. He helped the Jayhawks to the 2008 Orange Bowl under Mark Mangino.
A 2006 graduate of Kansas, Kane played linebacker for the Jayhawks, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention accolades from the Associated Press as a junior and senior. He helped Kansas to a pair of bowl appearances, including a win in the 2005 Fort Worth Bowl.
He graduated from Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, where he helped lead the Hawklets to a Missouri state championship as a junior.