Per multiple outlets, former Illinois wide receiver and assistant coach Mike Bellamy will return to the Illini staff to coach running backs for Lovie Smith.

Bellamy replaces Thad Ward, who left the program for an assistant coaching position at Temple. An Illini alum, he had a previous stint on the Illinois staff under former coach Tim Beckman.

A star wide receiver for the Illini in the late 1980's. Bellamy was on Beckman's staff at Illinois from 2012-2015. He coached Mike Dudek to the best freshman season in Illinois history in 2014 when Dudek caught 76 passes for 1,038 yards. Other receivers that Bellamy tutored at Illinois included Steve Hull and Geronimo Allison.

Bellamy spent the last two seasons as the wide receiver coach at Toledo after one year as an offensive analyst at Mississippi. He coached All-MAC Dionte Johnson, who caught 74 receptions for a school-record 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns in the 2017 season.

In 1989, Bellamy was an All-Big Ten wide receiver for Illinois and second team All-American as a kick returner. Catch passes from Jeff George, Bellamy hauled in 59 receptions for 927 yards during that season. He had 10 catches for 189 yards in the Illini's win over Virginia in the Florida Citrus Bowl. Bellamy played for four NFL teams in a five-year pro career.

Bellamy adds a proven recruiter with solid in-state ties to Lovie Smith's staff. He served a year as assistant director of player personnel, gaining valuable experience in the recruiting arena. He was instrumental in the Illini landing the No. 6 recruiting class in the Big Ten in 2015. Bellamy recruited the St. Louis metro area for Illinois, and he now gives the Illini a good one-two punch in the area with Cory Patterson. He also recruited Chicago-land and Texas, two areas that are obvious priorities for Lovie Smith.