When Bill Cubit was named the Illini's interim head coach in the wake of the firing of Tim Beckman, an assistant coaching position opened up. That position will reportedly be filled by a very familiar face.
Nathan Scheelhaase, the former Illinois quarterback who earlier this year was hired as the program's assistant director of football operations, will be promoted to the team's running backs coach, according to a report from Sports Illustrated's Thayer Evans.
Scheelhaase will take over Cubit's duties coaching up the running backs, while Ryan Cubit, Bill's son and the Illinois quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator, will have an expanded role in offensive play-calling, according to Evans.
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Scheelhaase was a four-year starting quarterback for the Illini under head coaches Ron Zook and Beckman. He accumulated 10,634 yards of total offense, leaving as the program's all-time leader in that category. He also ranks third on the school's all-time passing yardage list (8,568).
Scheelhaase aided Cubit in turning around the Illinois offense in Cubit's first year as offensive coordinator in 2013. That season, Scheelhaase led the Big Ten with 3,272 passing yards and 3,543 yards of total offense, and only three conference quarterbacks threw more touchdown passes than his 21.