Jan. 9, 2001

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - University of Illinois head football coach Ron Turner announced today the hiring of Mike Cassity, formerly of Oklahoma State, as defensive coordinator for the Illinois coaching staff.

"Mike brings to Illinois 17 years of experience as a defensive coordinator," Turner said. "He has served in some of the top programs in the nation and has experience in the Big Ten Conference. I liked his style of defense and he has always had very aggressive and fundamentally sound teams."

Cassity has over 25 years experience coaching college football with 17 of those as a defensive coordinator. Most recently, he served as coordinator at Oklahoma State where the Cowboys held national champion Oklahoma to only 12 points, the lowest scoring total for the Sooners in two years. His 2000 defense held opponents to only 126 rushing yards per game and ranked ninth in the nation in total defense in 1999.

Cassity has over 12 years experience coaching in top-notch conferences like the Big Ten, Southeastern, Big 12 and ACC. He has been a coordinator at Baylor (1997-98), Cincinnati (1994), Georgia Tech (1992-93), East Carolina (1990-91), Northeast Louisiana (1989), and Western Kentucky (1983-88). His career highlights include a Copper Bowl victory in 1996 while with the University of Wisconsin and a No. 9 national ranking following the 11-1 season for Peach Bowl champion East Carolina in 1991.

"Having played against Illinois in the past and coached at Wisconsin, I feel it is an honor and a privilege to be a part of the Illinois family and staff," Cassity said.

Cassity is married to the former Colleen Hartman of LaGrange, Ill., and a Lyons Township graduate. The couple has four children: Brooke, 15, Hunter, 11, Skyler, 6, and Braden, 1.

COACHING HISTORY