Eastern Illinois head football coach Chris Wilkerson has announced the promotion of Clay Bignell to serve as the Panthers defensive coordinator in addition to three other staff adjustments on the defensive side of the ball. Bignell replaces Adam Gristick who recently was hired as the assistant linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints.
In addition to the promotion of Bignell from his role last season of defensive passing game coordinator and safeties coach, Wilkerson has added the duties of defensive passing game coordinator to DJ Bland who also coaches the corners and will serve as the recruiting coordinator. Collin Geier will move from outside linebackers coach to inside linebackers coach while Andrew Brady was hired as the outside linebackers coach.
"We wanted to keep consistency and continuity despite our coaching turnover, and we couldn't be more excited about our defensive staff adjustments as we enter spring practice. Besides being great teachers and mentors, they are all fantastic people. We have no doubt that the promotions of Coaches Bignell, Bland, Geier and Brady will be beneficial to our defense and program. We look forward to establishing a strong identity as we move forward together."
Bignell enters his second season on the Panthers staff with two players from his safeties group earning All-Ohio Valley Conference honors last season with one player earning Hero Sports Sophomore All-American honors. Bignell brings experience coaching several different defensive position groups with time spent with four different FBS programs and his alma mater, Montana State.
"I'm extremely excited about the promotion of Coach Clay Bignell to Defensive Coordinator. Coach Bignell brings a wealth of experience to our program. He has been around some of the most respected minds in all of college football with his stops at Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, East Carolina and Montana State. He has had the opportunity to coach every position on the defensive side of the ball, he's a tireless worker and has shown great leadership during his time at Eastern Illinois. We're thrilled to have him lead our defense."
Bland, a former Eastern Illinois defensive back, enters his second season coaching at EIU. He coached a group that was part of picking off 13 passes last season with 35 additional pass break-ups. He will expand his role in the defensive room as the defensive pass game coordinator as well as take over as the Panthers recruiting coordinator. Prior to his return to EIU, Bland coached at the Division II and III levels serving as the defensive coordinator in his final two Division II stops.
"The elevation of Coach DJ Bland to Defensive Passing Game Coordinator was well-deserved. He provides amazing expertise due to his coaching experience and his time as a former standout defensive player at Eastern Illinois. His passion for the game and our players is second to none. He will also assume recruiting coordinator duties."
Geier begins his second year as a full-time coach with the Panthers staff and will transition from coaching the outside linebackers group to the inside linebackers group. Last season he helped coach a defensive linebackers corps that had two All-OVC performers with the group racking up more the 200 tackles during the season. Geier worked previously in 2019 and 2020 as a graduate assistant defensive coach assisting with the safeties. He has additional coaching experience at the FBS level as a student assistant coach and defensive analyst.
"Coach Collin Geier has earned the opportunity to coach the Inside Linebackers. He is one of the sharpest up-and-coming minds in college football. His attention to detail and coaching technique are highly-valued, and I'm looking forward to his increased influence on our defense."
Brady joins the Panthers staff as a full-time staff member and will coach the outside linebackers group. He worked last season as a defensive graduate assistant coach helping in several different phases of the defensive game. As a unit EIU ranked among the OVC leaders in turnovers gained and team tackles for loss. Brady had experience coaching at the Division II and III levels before joining the EIU staff last year.
"Coach Andrew Brady has proven to be an asset on and off the field. His promotion to Outside Linebackers is a great tribute to his work ethic and perseverance. His energy and enthusiasm is contagious. He will also assume camp coordinator duties."
EIU is set to open spring football practice on Tuesday, March 21.
