NORMAL, Ill. – Another familiar face is returning to the Illinois State football coaching staff, as head coach Brock Spack has announced the hiring of former Redbird offensive lineman and student assistant coach C.J. Irvin as the team's newest assistant coach.
In his new role, Irvin will work with the team's tight ends and h-backs. He returns to Illinois State after spending the 2018 season with the Wisconsin football program, serving in a quality control role with the Badgers' offensive line.
"We are excited to have C.J. back with the Redbird football program," Spack said. "He worked extremely hard for us as a student assistant while finishing up his degree at ISU in 2014-15, and Kurt (Beathard) was impressed with his work ethic back then and thought he would be a great addition to the current staff. He knows what it takes to win and has been a part of successful programs as a young coach here and at Houston, Texas and Wisconsin. The coaches he worked under at Texas recommended him highly and Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst told me this hire makes total sense. C.J. takes a lot of pride in what he does and in this program, so we are happy to have him back with new experiences and commitment to the Redbirds."
Irvin came to UW after spending the 2017 season as a graduate assistant at Texas, where he worked with the Longhorns' offensive line. He held a similar position at Houston for the 2016 season and also served as interim offensive line coach for the Cougars' matchup with San Diego State in the Las Vegas Bowl.
His coaching career began as a student assistant at Illinois State, a role he filled for two seasons after suffering foot injuries that ended his playing career for the Redbirds. He helped Illinois State reach the FCS National Championship game in 2014 and the FCS quarterfinals in 2015.
"Caitlin and I are very excited to be back in Bloomington-Normal and be a part of the Redbird football program again," Irvin said. "This place and program mean a lot to me, and to have the opportunity to come back and work with Coach Spack and the staff is an honor. Over the past few years at Houston, Texas and Wisconsin, I've learned a lot, developed as a coach and now have a better understanding of how other programs work. I think it's made me a more well-rounded coach, and my hope is to bring that to the table here and help our players, this staff and program continue to move forward."
Irvin, who received the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Commissioners Academic Excellence Award, graduated from Illinois State in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology/physical education. He and his fiancée, Caitlin Murray, reside in Bloomington.
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