
IlliniGuys Football Position Preview: Special Teams
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
August 22, 2022
(Cover photo courtesy Justin Shen/Illinois Athletics)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The unfortunate and tragic situation surrounding Ben Miller’s colon cancer diagnosis and treatment has produced what would normally be an awkward temporary scenario for anybody other than Bret Bielema and Sean Snyder.
With Miller continuing his chemotherapy throughout this fall season, Bielema knew he’d need an assistant coach willing to make Champaign his home for no more than the next few months. The Illini second-year head coach turned to a former college teammate and close friend in Snyder. Snyder, who was not retained at Southern California despite being recognized nationally as one of the best special teams coaches, was looking for a Power Five Conference program to help for a few months before the son of College Football Hall of Fame head coach Bill Snyder went job shopping in the winter.