CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois head coach Lovie Smith announced Wednesday the hiring of running backs coach Mike Bellamy and offensive line coach Bob McClain. The Illinois on-field staff is now complete with 10 full-time assistants. Smith also announced the hiring of Lou Hernandez as strength and conditioning coach.  

"I'm extremely pleased to add Mike Bellamy and Bob McClain to our coaching staff," Lovie Smith said. "Of course, Coach McClain was with us as an analyst last year and has a long history of successfully coaching the offensive line with Rod Smith. Being in our building last year, he was able to acclimate himself with the current personnel and he is very familiar with our offensive system, so that transition should work very smoothly.

"It's always a positive when you can add an alum to your staff," Smith continued. "Coach Bellamy has proven himself as an assistant here with a previous staff and at Toledo the last two seasons. Mike's experience in Chicago and the state, along with his knowledge of our program, will definitely be a benefit. He did a terrific job with the receivers when he was here before, and now he gets the opportunity to expand his coaching role to running backs. Both coaches are excellent additions to our program."

"In doing my research about Coach Hernandez, I heard nothing but positive comments, especially from the many former Fighting Illini players who worked with him during their time here," Lovie Smith said. "When we had a chance to discuss this position, it was immediately clear that Lou loved his time here and was very interested in the chance to come back to our campus. We're extremely excited for Lou to lead our strength and conditioning program. He has a great reputation across the nation. This is a critical time for our team as we continue to get stronger and faster."

MIKE BELLAMY | Running Backs Coach

Mike Bellamy returns to Champaign after two seasons as wide receivers coach at Toledo (2017-18) and one season as quality control coach/analyst at Mississippi State (2016). Bellamy spent four seasons on the Illinois staff (2012-15), including three as an assistant coach, and was a standout receiver for the Fighting Illini as a student-athlete in 1988 and 1989.

"My family always felt I would have the opportunity to return to Illinois, and maybe this comes sooner than we even expected," Bellamy said. "But, I am much more prepared for this position than I was when Coach Smith was hired, and I am extremely appreciative of Coach and Josh Whitman in asking me to coach here again. The response from my former teammates and the players I coached has been overwhelming and humbling. As an alum of the program, expectations are high and I am up for the challenge. I had a chance to meet with the running backs. They are excited and I'm excited to work with them. I can't wait to start grinding with them."

Bellamy was promoted to Illinois' wide receivers coach in February 2013 during his most recent stint in Champaign after serving one year as assistant director of player personnel and relations (2012).

Under Bellamy's guidance, freshman receiver Mike Dudek burst onto the scene in 2014, as the newcomer posted a team-high 76 catches with six touchdowns and 1,038 yards, which broke Arrelious Benn's school record for receiving yards by a freshman (676 in 2007). He was named second-team All-Big Ten, first-team Freshman All-America by Scout.com and first-team True-Freshman All-America by ESPN.com and 247sports.

In 2013, Bellamy molded an unheralded group of receivers into one that helped Illinois record the most total passing yards in a season in school history (3,452) and third-most passing yards per game (287.7). He guided Steve Hull's transition from defensive back to receiver in Hull's final season, helping him rank in the top 10 in school history in season receiving yards (993), season touchdown catches (seven) and season 100-yard receiving games (five). Hull also was the nation's most prolific receiver over the final four weeks of the season, posting 653 yards and six touchdowns on 40 catches (16.3 ypc) during that span. 

In his role with the Fighting Illini in 2012, Bellamy coordinated all former player events, assisted with on-campus recruiting and recruiting mailings, helped coordinate the annual Illinois high school coaching clinic and coordinated all functions with Block I, fraternities and sororities. He immediately served as a bridge between the coaching staff and former Illini players, coaches and staff across the country, building numerous relationships.

As a player at Illinois (1988-89), Bellamy was a second-team All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten receiver in 1989. He recorded 59 receptions for 927 yards and eight TDs for the Illini that season, the fourth-most TD catches in a season in school history and the ninth-most receiving yards. He also returned 16 kickoffs for 459 yards, an average of 28.7 that ranks second in school history. 

Bellamy stands second in Illini history in career kickoff return average at 26.4 yards per return, and his 170 kickoff return yards against Indiana on Nov. 18, 1989, remain the single-game school record. He was named one of the top 10 receivers in Illinois history in 2008 and was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Hall of Fame in 2007 for his achievements at the College of DuPage in suburban Chicago.

After earning a bachelor's degree in speech communication from Illinois in 1990, Bellamy was a second-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1990 NFL Draft, playing two seasons for the team. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders from 1992-95 before playing for Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League in 1995-96, winning the World Bowl in 1996.

Bellamy came to Illinois after serving as the receivers and specialists coach at Clark-Atlanta University in 2011. Prior to that, was the passing game coordinator, receivers coach and specialists coach at Sprayberry High School from 2008-10. Bellamy has assisted at camps at Illinois, Virginia and Georgia State, as well as the 2010 and 2011 Under Armour Combine and the 2009 and 2010 Georgia High School All-Star game.

Following his playing career and before joining the coaching ranks, Bellamy and his wife, Tanya, built a successful business in the beauty industry in the Atlanta area. The couple has three children: Mike, McKenna and McKoy.

The Bellamy File
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Birthdate: June 28, 1966
Family: Wife: Tanya; Sons: Mike and McKoy; Daughter: McKenna
Education: B.S., speech communication - Illinois, 1990
Playing experience: Illinois, 1988-89

Coaching Experience
2019 - Illinois (Running Backs)
2017-18 - Toledo (Wide Receivers)
2016 - Mississippi State (Quality Control/Analyst)
2013-15 - Illinois (Wide Receivers)
2012 - Illinois (Assistant Director of Player Personnel and Relations)
2011 - Clark-Atlanta - Wide Receivers/Specialists
2008-10 Sprayberry HS - Passing Game Coordinator/Receivers/Specialists

BOB MCCLAIN | Offensive Line Coach 

Bob McClain, who has a long history with offensive coordinator Rod Smith, was promoted to offensive line coach. McClain joined the Illinois staff last season as an offensive analyst. 

"I am very thankful to Josh Whitman, Lovie Smith, Rod Smith and the University of Illinois for presenting me with this great opportunity," McClain said. "Rod and I have have known each other for many years as we came up in the same offensive system. We worked together at West Virginia and Michigan so I'm very excited to be reunited on the field with Rod. I am also very excited to work with a great bunch of student athletes. I am confident that this football program is heading in the right direction and I'm just very excited to be part of it. I am also really looking forward to working for this wonderful community that cares so much about Its football program."

McClain worked at Michigan and West Virginia with Rod Smith, who was the quarterbacks coach at Michigan in 2008 and a graduate assistant at West Virginia in 2001. Smith brought McClain to Champaign last season, where he helped the Illinois offense make huge strides.

Illinois ranked 12th in the nation in rushing offense in 2018 with 243 yards per game on the ground, an increase of 137.4 rushing yards per game from 2017. Running back Reggie Corbin had one of the most explosive seasons in college football, rushing for 1,085 yards and nine touchdowns while ranking third in FBS in yards per carry (8.5).

McClain brought more than a dozen years of collegiate coaching experience to the Fighting Illini, most recently serving as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne University for two seasons. 

Prior to Lenoir-Rhyne, he was the run game coordinator and offensive line coach at California University of Pennsylvania, where he coached four offensive linemen to all-league accolades for the first time in school history. One also earned All-Region, while McClain was also involved with coaching tight end Paul Butler, who signed with the Oakland Raiders.

McClain's FBS experience includes 2009 at Tulsa as the tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator, 2008 at University of Michigan as a quality control coach, and six years as a graduate assistant at West Virginia University from 2000-05, where he worked three years in the football video department and three years as an offensive graduate assistant coach working with the offensive line and tight ends. At Tulsa, he coached current NFL tight end Charles Clay.

McClain started his coaching career under Rich Rodriguez and Rick Trickett. Trickett is one of the most well respected offensive line coaches in the country.

During his time at West Virginia, the Mountaineers won the Big East Championship and the Sugar Bowl in 2005, while going 11-1, and were the league co-champions in 2003 and 2004. The Mountaineers went to four bowl games throughout McClain's tenure at WVU. The Mountaineers finished first in the Big East Conference in rushing for four straight years (2002-05). They ranked No. 2 in the nation in rushing in 2002, No. 5 in 2005, No. 7 in 2004 and No. 12 in 2003. McClain coached 10 offensive linemen that garnered All-Big East accolades, while seven players went on to play in the NFL. During his time at WVU, he was also coached center Dan Mozes, who won the Rimington Award for the best center in the country.

McClain coached the offensive line at Appalachian State for two years (2010-11). During his tenure at Appalachian State, the Mountaineers won their sixth straight Southern Conference Championship in 2010, which is tied for the league record, and earned a berth to the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs in 2010 and 2011.

McClain coached four Appalachian State offensive linemen to all-league honors in 2010 while Daniel Kilgore earned All-American accolades and was drafted in 2011 by the San Francisco 49ers. The 2010 team was ranked in the top ten nationally in rushing offense, total offense and scoring offense. The 2010 team was also ranked first in the Southern Conference for scoring offense and McClain's offensive line ranked first in the conference for sacks allowed (9). 

McClain earned his bachelor's degree in business from Waynesburg in 1996 before completing three master's degrees from West Virginia. 

The McClain File
Hometown: Salem, West Virginia
Education: B.A., business - Waynesburg, 1996; Three master's degrees from West Virginia University – secondary education, elementary education and educational leadership

Coaching Experience
2019 - Illinois (Offensive Line)
2018 - Illinois (Offensive Analyst)
2016-17 - Lenoir-Rhyne (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line)
2015 - California University of Pennsylvania (Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line)
2014 - Virginia State (Offensive Line Consultant)
2010-11 - Appalachian State (Offensive Line)
2009 - Tulsa (Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator)
2008 - Michigan, Quality Control (Special Teams/Offense)
2006-07 - Glenville State (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line/Tight Ends/Running Backs)
2003-05 - West Virginia (Offensive Graduate Assistant)
2000-02 - West Virginia (Video Graduate Assistant)

LOU HERNANDEZ | Head Strength & Conditioning Coach

Lou Hernandez returns as Illinois' Strength and Conditioning Coach in 2019 after spending the last seven seasons as head football Strength and Conditioning Coach at North Carolina. 

Hernandez led the Fighting Illini football strength and conditioning program from 2005-11 under former coach Ron Zook before moving to UNC from 2012-18. 

At Illinois he coordinated the entire strength program for the football team as well as assisting with nutritional aspects of the players' diets, helping the Illini win back-to-back bowl games in 2010 and 2011.

"Returning to Illinois is an incredible opportunity," Hernandez said. "This is not only an amazing place to work professionally, but it is also very special to me personally. I've heard amazing things about Josh Whitman, and it's incredible to be on staff with a legend like Coach Lovie Smith. I'm looking forward to being there and contributing in every way that I can to help us be successful."

During his seven seasons at Chapel Hill, an average of 45 student-athletes per season power cleaned 308 pounds or more, one of the many quantitative measurements used in Hernandez's program. His strength program played a key role in Carolina's success, including an ACC Coastal Division crown in 2015.

When he began at Illinois in 2005, there was just one player with a 300-pound or better power clean. Five years later, the team averaged close to 35 a year. Only one player in 2005 could bench over 405 and by 2010 that number was in double figures.

Hernandez helped train five first-round NFL Draft picks in Champaign, including Rashard Mendenhall (Pittsburgh) in 2008, Vontae Davis (Miami) in 2009, Corey Liuget (San Diego) in 2011 and Whitney Mercilus (Houston) and A.J. Jenkins (San Francisco) in 2012. That marked the first time Illinois had produced five first-round draft picks in a five-year span.

Hernandez worked for three seasons at Florida as the assistant director of strength and conditioning from 2002-04. He moved to Florida after serving on the New York Jets staff. Prior to his one-year stint with the Jets, Hernandez spent 10 years at the University of Houston, including five years as the director of the program.

A native of Alice, Texas, Hernandez earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science from the University of Houston in 1992 and his master's degree in exercise and health-related fitness from Houston in 1994. Hernandez is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Hernandez and his wife, Kristin, have two daughters, Romy Ella and Katirena Rose.

The Hernandez File
Hometown: Alice, Texas
Education: B.S., exercise science - Houston, 1992. M.S., exercise and health-related fitness - Houston, 1994.
Family: Wife: Kristin; Daughters, Romy Ella and Katirena Rose

Coaching Experience
2019 - Illinois (Head Strength & Conditioning Coach)
2012-18 - North Carolina (Head Strength & Conditioning Coach)
2005-11 - Illinois (Head Strength & Conditioning Coach)
2002-04 - Florida (Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach)
2001 - New York Jets (Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach)
1997-2000 - University of Houston (Head Strength & Conditioning Coach)
1994-97 - University of Houston (Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach)
1992-94 - University of Houston (Graduate Assistant Coach)

2019 ILLINOIS COACHING STAFF (as of 2/20/19)

Lovie Smith	Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator
Rod Smith	Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Gill Byrd	Passing Game Coordinator/Safeties Coach
Bob Ligashesky	Special Teams Coordinator
Mike Bellamy	Running Backs Coach
Austin Clark	Defensive Line Coach
Andrew Hayes-Stoker	Wide Receivers Coach
Keynodo Hudson	Cornerbacks Coach
Bob McClain	Offensive Line Coach
Cory Patterson	Tight Ends Coach
Miles Smith	Linebackers Coach