CHAMPAIGN — If you miss your coffee before chatting with Corey Parker, don’t sweat it. You will soon be awake. The newest member of Bret Bielema’s Illinois football coaching staff, Parker is a can of Red Bull, wrapped in a double espresso, soaked in Jolt Cola.
During a 30-minute introduction to the Illinois media earlier this week at Memorial Stadium, the former Toledo assistant kept the energy level ceiling-high the entire time. Fortunately for the team, none of the reporters will play. The important people Parker needs to communicate with are the Illinois players and other assistants.
Seems likely he will be a hit with them. Parker is working on the defensive side of the ball, replacing David Gibbs after Gibbs left the program for health reasons. Specifically, Parker will be paired with coordinator Aaron Henry in the secondary.
At Toledo in 2023, Parker helped develop cornerback Quinyon Mitchell into an NFL first-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles. “It was a father-son, a family relationship,” Parker said. “I had to be able to own whatever his difficulties were as a player and help him continuously get better at those difficulties.
A good player doesn’t want to hear about his difficulties unless he knows you care about him. “We went through every single step. The No.
1 thing he asked from me was to, ‘Coach me hard every day no matter what.’ That’s what I did.” Different roadMost college coaches get their starts as graduate assistants, then m.