Bob McClain, who has a long history with offensive coordinator Rod Smith, was promoted to offensive line coach in Feb. 2019. McClain will begin his third season on staff in 2020, as he began as an offensive analyst in 2018.

In his first season on the full-time coaching staff in 2019, McClain helped Illinois to the 2019 Redbox Bowl, the program’s first bowl in five years, after two of the most memorable victories in Illini history. Illinois clinched bowl eligibility with a 37-34 win at Michigan State in the biggest comeback in program history. Illinois trailed 28-3 in the second quarter and 31-10 entering the fourth to tie the largest fourth-quarter comeback in a Big Ten game in the last 40 seasons by outscoring Michigan State 27-3 in the fourth quarter, including Daniel Barker’s game-winning touchdown reception from Brandon Peters with five seconds left. Illinois’ 27 fourth-quarter points were the most by an opponent in the 96-year, 544-game history of Michigan State’s Spartan Stadium.

McClain also helped coach the Fighting Illini to one of the biggest upsets in Big Ten history with a 24-23 victory over No. 6 Wisconsin on Oct. 19, 2019. Illinois entered the day as a 30-point underdog before Jake McCourt’s 39-yard field goal as time expired sent Illini fans rushing to the Memorial Stadium field in one of the greatest Homecoming scenes in University of Illinois history. The Wisconsin victory sprung Illinois to four straight Big Ten wins, the first four-game Big Ten winning streak for the Fighting Illini since the 2001 Big Ten Championship team finished the regular season with seven straight conference victories. Illinois finished the 2019 regular season 6-6 and 4-5 in the Big Ten.

In 2019, OT Alex Palczewski was a third team All-Big Ten selection, while OG Kendrick Green and C Doug Kramer were honorable mention picks. Green was a Pro Football Focus honorable mention All-American and the No. 6 graded offensive guard in the nation and No. 2 in Power-5, while Kramer was the No. 8 graded center in the nation and No. 3 in Power-5.

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