Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema on Thursday named Kevin Kane as associate head coach/outside linebackers coach.

With the hiring of Kane and wide receivers coach George McDonald this week, the Illini staff of 10 on-the-field coaches is complete.

“It is a pleasure to name Kevin Kane as the final addition of our coaching staff at the University of Illinois,” Bielema said. “I first hired Kevin as a defensive graduate assistant and now I’ve seen his career grow, develop and flourish in the coaching profession as an assistant coach as well as a coordinator."

Kane reunites with Bielema following three seasons leading the defense at SMU as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He also had previous coaching stints at Northern Illinois and Kansas.

In 2018, Kane was nominated for the Broyles Award, which honors college football’s top assistant coaches. He has also coached tight ends, fullbacks, and has served as a special teams coordinator. Kane is known as a top recruiter.

(Kane) brings a wealth of knowledge to our staff at Illinois," Bielema said. "Kevin is originally from the Kansas City area and will be a great addition to our recruiting staff and in developing the young men in our program.”

Kane joined the SMU staff in 2018 and in his first two seasons led the Mustangs to several national top 25 rankings, including the No. 1 ranking for sacks per game (3.92) and No. 3 ranking in tackles for loss (8.5 avg) in 2019.

He made the move to SMU after spending the 2016 and 2017 seasons as the defensive coordinator at Northern Illinois. That was his second stint at NIU, having served in multiple capacities for the Huskies from 2011-14. During the 2015 season, Kane coached linebackers at Kansas.

“I am fired up to get back to Illinois and work with Coach B,” Kane said. “I’ve previously coached in the state of Illinois and worked for Coach B, and I know we will have success here. He has hired a great group of coaches and staff who know what it takes to recruit, coach and develop young men on and off the field. It’s a great time to be at Illinois and I’m more than excited to be a part of it.”

A 2006 graduate of Kansas, Kane played linebacker for the Jayhawks, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention accolades from the Associated Press as a junior and senior. He helped Kansas to a pair of bowl appearances, including a win in the 2005 Fort Worth Bowl.

Kane was a three-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree and was named team captain as a senior. He graduated from Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, where he helped lead the Hawklets to a Missouri state championship as a junior. Kane earned his master’s degree in education at Wisconsin in 2010.

Kane reportedly recently turned down an offer from new Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian to coach linebackers for the Longhorns.

On Wednesday, Bret Bielema named former Fighting Illini George McDonald to his staff as assistant head coach/wide receivers coach.

Head coach: Bret Bielema

Offensive coordinator / QB's: Tony Peterson

Offensive line: Bart Miller

Assistant head coach / Wide receivers: George McDonald

Running backs: Cory Patterson

Tight end: Ben Miller

Defensive coordinator: Ryan Walters

Associate head coach/outside linebackers: Kevin Kane

Defensive line: Terrance Jamison

Inside linebackers: Andy Buh

Defensive backs: Aaron Henry