Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry set to face Wisconsin on Saturday
MADISON – Bret Bielema hasn’t forgotten the first time he saw Aaron Henry on the football field.
The year was 2004 and Bielema was in his first year on the Wisconsin staff. UW’s new defensive coordinator was on a recruiting trip to Immokalee High School in Florida.
“I was there recruiting a junior and a senior,” Bielema said.
Bielema noticed Henry and asked Immokalee coach John Weber about him.
“Tell him he has got a scholarship at the University of Wisconsin,” Bielema recalled telling Weber. “I’ll offer him right now. That started our relationship, when he was 16.”
Former UW defensive back Aaron Henry in his first season as defensive coordinator at Illinois
Fast-forward to 2023.
Bielema is in his third season as head coach at Illinois. Henry, who played at UW from 2007 through 2011, is in his first season as the Illini’s defensive coordinator and third season overall on the staff. He is among five Illinois assistants who played or coached at UW.
UW (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) and Illinois (3-4, 1-3) are set to meet at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Champaign.
“The first time I saw Aaron talk in front of our team,” Bielema said, “I thought he’s got the gift. Some guys can’t do that. Aaron can…That is special.”
Henry had the unenviable task of replacing Ryan Walters, who did tremendous work in two seasons as Illinois’ defensive coordinator.
The Illini last season led the Big Ten in scoring defense (12.8 ppg), were second in total yards (273.5 per game), third in rushing yards (99.8 per game) and second in passing yards (173.8 per game).
Illinois’ pass defense, thanks to pressure up front and a tremendous secondary, intercepted 24 passes and allowed just nine touchdown passes.
In addition to having a new coordinator, Illinois had to replace its entire starting secondary
Walters left to take over the Purdue program and the Illini lost its entire starting secondary. Three of the four defensive backs were taken in the first 66 picks of the 2023 NFL draft.
As a result, the Illini this season are 12th in the league in scoring (28.1 ppg), 13th against the run (164.1 ypg) and 11th against the pass (234.3 ypg).
The Illini have four interceptions and have allowed 11 touchdown passes.
Some type of drop-off was anticipated given the personnel losses. Compounding the problem is that the offense has been inconsistent and hasn’t been able to take pressure off the defense.
Illinois last season averaged 24.2 points and 166.2 rushing yards per game. Those numbers this season are just 20.3 points (12th in the league) and 127.6 rushing yards per game (14th in the league).
The Illinois defense did play well last week in the Illini’s 27-24 victory over Maryland.
Maryland’s high-powered offense had two touchdown drives on its first five series but the Illini forced one turnover and held the Terrapins to 10 points on their final six possessions.
Henry was a graduate assistant under Bielema at Arkansas in 2014 and 2015. He then coached defensive backs at Rutgers (2016), North Carolina State (2017-2019) and Vanderbilt (2020) before reuniting with Bielema at Illinois.
“I think at that time I don’t think I was in the mode of thinking he was going to be my next coordinator,” Bielema said. “But then as I watched him over the last two years, his football IQ and his (overall) intelligence, his ability to relate to people.”
Henry faces his former team this week, with Braedyn Locke replacing injured starter Tanner Mordecai at quarterback. Does Henry expect UW’s offense to change much with Locke making his first college start?
No.
“The backup, he can throw it man,” Henry said. “I know coach (Phil) Longo recruited him out of high school… And I know when he got in the game last week the offense did not change. The kid has a cannon.
“I don’t see it being much of a (change) in terms of what they’re going to ask him to do.
Obviously, he hasn’t taken as many snaps. But I’m going to prepare for them like Tanner Mordecai was quarterback.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former UW defensive back Aaron Henry runs Illinois' defense
