Illini Bring Along Tenarius 'Tank' Wright as Strength & Conditioning Coach

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- It will be hard for the Illinois football players to question the commitment level of its new strength coach when they find out the venue for his 2018 wedding.

Illinois announced Sunday evening the hiring of Tenarius “Tank” Wright as its new director of football strength and conditioning who, while the assistant football strength coach at Michigan, got married in the football weight room on Dec. 13, 2018.

What Strength & Conditioning Coach you know got married in a Weightroom? #BoutDatAction. Happy Anniversary Mrs Wright. 12/13/2018! pic.twitter.com/18horzAVKg
— TENARIUS TANK WRIGHT (@TankWright) December 14, 2019

Wright will arrive at Illinois after serving seven seasons on strength and conditioning staffs at Arkansas and Michigan before getting an on-field assistant coach job this past season as the defensive line coach at Army.

“Throughout my career I have witnessed the growth and development of young men in their college careers that put them on a path of success,” new Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said via a university release. “Tank Wright was someone who stood out to me immediately in relating and motivating people to places they have never been. He captivates their hearts and mind in new ways of thinking and training to be the best them. We are excited about the balance and integrity he will lead our strength and conditioning program while also building a foundation of work ethic and demeanor.”

Wright will take over for Lou Hernandez, who was in second stint as the leader of the Illini football strength and conditioning program from (2005-11, 2019-2020) under former Illinois head coaches Ron Zook and Lovie Smith. Illini Now/Sports Illustrated learned via sources close to the program that Bielema’s top target for the strength and conditioning coach was Michigan’s Ben Herbert. Herbert’s current contract with the Wolverines program is set to expire on Jan. 10, but the longtime strength coach under Bielema at both Arkansas and Wisconsin elected to stay at Michigan with head coach Jim Harbaugh further fueling speculation and reports that Harbaugh will be signing a new contract extension in the near future. Therefore, Bielema next turned his attention to Herbert’s apprentice while he and Wright were both at Michigan and Arkansas.

Named one of college football’s rising stars in 2019, Wright made the move to Army after serving as the associate Director of Football Strength and Conditioning at Michigan for the 2018 and 2019 seasons, where he helped coach and mentor two first-round draft picks, two third-round draft picks and a fifth-round pick as well.

“Having the opportunity to impact young men side-by-side with Coach B at the University of Illinois is something I’m very excited about,” Wright said in the university release. “Throughout the years I’ve worked with Coach, I have seen him grow men on and off the field. His leadership, character, and ability to motivate are traits we both share. The mentality of becoming better leaders every day is something I can’t wait to start working toward with the young men on the Illinois football team. Coach Bielema and I both believe in being a leader today and becoming a better leader every day.”

Wright, a former hybrid linebacker/defensive end at Arkansas was the assistant strength and conditioning coach at his alma mater from 2014-17 when Bielema was the Razorbacks head coach.

Wright is the third member of Bielema’s staff at Illinois to be announced after offensive coordinator Tony Petersen and offensive line coach Bart Miller were hired last week.