CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Chris Wilkerson was already on staff at San Jose State, moving up from defensive ends coach to defensive coordinator, when Barry Lunney Jr. was hired in 2003 as the Spartans’ co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Eastern Illinois Panthers head coach Chris Wilkerson.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
The overlap in their careers, though, was brief. Fitz Hill resigned as San Jose State’s coach after the 2004 season, with Wilkerson moving on to Dartmouth as associate head coach before landing the top job at the University of Chicago and returning to coach his alma mater, Eastern Illinois, in 2022.
Lunney went back to Arkansas in 2005 to coach with his dad at Bentonville High School. That led to college stops at Arkansas and Texas-San Antonio before he reunited with Bret Bielema at Illinois as offensive coordinator in 2022.
But even though they were together at San Jose State a short time, a strong relationship developed between Wilkerson and his wife, Sharna, and Lunney and his wife, Janelle, in those two seasons in the Bay Area. Strong enough that the Wilkersons asked the Lunneys to be the godparents of their son, Peyton.
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Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.
Illinois athletics
“Peyton was born Aug. 31, 2004, and there was no better people that we could have thought of to ask the honor of being his godparents,” Wilkerson said. “They graciously accepted, and they’ve been a huge influence in his life. … He’s a heck of a football coach, a great offensive mind, but even a better person. They’re unbelievable people, and it’s an honor and a privilege for us to call them our son’s godparents.”
Wilkerson and Lunney will square off from opposing sidelines for the second time in their coaching careers Thursday night at Memorial Stadium when Illinois hosts EIU in an 8 p.m. kickoff. (They clashed in 2002 before they met when San Jose State played at Tulsa, where Lunney was wide receivers coach).
“I felt like I learned a lot about Eastern Illinois when I knew him years ago because he had coached there and he played there and his wife was from there,” Lunney said. “I felt like I was connected to the Eastern Illinois culture. To see him go back there and to do what he’s done in a short fashion, No. 1, is super impressive. No. 2, it’s not surprising.”
EIU went 2-9 in Wilkerson’s first season as coach. Even that was an improvement, though, considering the Panthers won just a single game in 2019, 2020 and 2021 under Adam Cushing. Last season witnessed EIU make a six-game improvement, finish 8-3 and came just shy of an FCS playoff berth.
While the Panthers’ offense improved in 2023 behind Georgetown transfer quarterback Pierce Holley and FCS Freshman All-American running back MJ Flowers, they saw real growth defensively. EIU finished 16th nationally in scoring defense and 42nd in total defense last season out of 122 FCS programs. The Panthers were 85th in scoring defense and 83rd in total defense in 2022.
“They’re very detailed, just like Chris,” Lunney said about the EIU defense. “They’re meticulous. They play with the personality of the head coach, and it’s a very impressive unit. … I would say, from a defensive perspective, he took time years ago to teach me a lot about defense. I liked to bring him in the offensive room to hear his perspective about what they were doing and how he was teaching it.”
Wilkerson also knows enough about Lunney to have a firm grasp on the challenges the Illinois offense might give his team Thursday night. But even that is tempered by what the EIU coach knows about Bielema.
“I know Barry, he certainly wants to score some points and he wants to throw the football around a little bit,” Wilkerson said. “I also know they play complementary football. … They pride themselves on running the football, defending the run and covering kicks. They’re big and physical up front. They’ve got a three-headed monster at tailback. I think they’re probably going to establish the running game — or try and establish the running game — early in the football game.”
But Wilkerson isn’t discounting what Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer might show in the season opener with Pat Bryant, Zakhari Franklin and Co. at his disposal at wide receiver. Establishing the run doesn’t mean Lunney won’t still unleash his passing attack.
“They’ve got weapons all over the place,” Wilkerson said. “I know they probably want to try and get (Altmyer) off to a good start, as well. I would expect there to be some quick, easy throws, and if they establish the running game, try to get him going on play action.”
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Publish date : 2024-08-28 15:15:00
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