DeShawn Haney Named Illinois Assistant Tight Ends Coach

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – DeShawn Haney has been named Illinois' assistant tight ends coach, head coach Bret Bielema announced. Haney brings nearly a decade of college coaching experience to the Fighting Illini.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Haney to Champaign," Bielema said. "Coach Haney has valuable experience managing a position room in college football while developing tight ends, plus has previously worked alongside Coach Elliott, who he will work with here at Illinois. He will provide a great perspective for our tight ends and offense."

"I am honored and blessed for the opportunity to join Coach Bielema's staff and serve the University of Illinois," Haney said. "It is a privilege to become part of a program defined by its unwavering commitment to excellence, both on the field and in the classroom. I am excited to contribute to a culture built on hard work, integrity, and a relentless standard of performance! I look forward to working alongside an exceptional group of coaches and student-athletes, and I am eager to invest fully in the continued success of the Fighting Illini. This new chapter in my career is one I embrace with great enthusiasm, and I am committed to giving my absolute best to this program and university."

Haney comes to Illinois after two seasons as the tight ends coach at Texas Southern. The Tigers' tight ends room excelled under Haney, helping a resurgent TSU program jump from three to five wins in his first season, followed by a 6-5 mark in 2025 – the team's first winning season since 2000.

A native of Kansas City, Haney played collegiately along both the offensive and defensive line coming out of Park Hill High School. He began his college career with one season at NAIA Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo., before transferring to NCAA Division II Washburn for one season, and ultimately finishing his playing career at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo.

Following a position change to offensive line in his junior season, Haney stepped into yet another new role and began his coaching career as an undergraduate student assistant for Lincoln during the Tigers' 2018 campaign.

After graduation, Haney spent two more seasons (2019-20) as a graduate assistant at Lincoln, before making the jump to NCAA Division I. In his first stop at the FCS level, he served as a graduate assistant at Western Illinois in 2021 under former Leathernecks head coach, and current Illini tight ends coach, Jared Elliott.

Haney continued his ascent, moving from WIU to Northern Arizona for the 2022 season before climbing to the FBS level as a graduate assistant at Eastern Michigan. During his lone season at EMU in 2023, he helped guide an Eagles team that won six games and was selected to play in the 68 Ventures Bowl.

Haney holds two degrees from Lincoln, completing a bachelor's degree in sports management before earning a master's degree in business administration.

Coaching Career

Years	University	Position
2026	Illinois	Assistant Tight Ends Coach
2024-25	Texas Southern	Tight Ends Coach
2023	Eastern Michigan	Graduate Assistant
2022	Northern Arizona	Graduate Assistant
2021	Western Illinois	Graduate Assistant
2019-20	Lincoln University	Graduate Assistant
2018	Lincoln University	Student Assistant

Schedule