VIDEO: PowerMizzou.com Publisher Gabe DeArmond on Illini's Hire of Ryan Walters
According to multiple reports, including confirmation from PowerMizzou.com, Illinois has hired Ryan Walters as its defensive coordinator after he’s spent three years in the same position with the Southeastern Conference.
Illini Now/Sports Illustrated publisher Matthew Stevens spoke to PowerMizzou.com publisher Gabe DeArmond about what Illini fans can expect out of the hiring of Walters.
Walters, 34, was retained as the defensive boss of the Missouri program after Eli Drinkwitz was hired to replace Barry Odom after the 2019 season. The native of Los Angeles, Calif., has been part of Mizzou's staff since 2015, was promoted to defensive coordinator at the end of the 2017 season. Walters agreed to a contract extension through the 2022 season that pays him an annual salary of $900,000 making him the highest paid assistant coach on Drinkwitz’s Missouri staff.
The 2019 Missouri defense in Odom’s final season as the Tigers head coach ranked among the nation’s best in total defense at 14th nationally in yards per game (312 ypg) and 17th in scoring (19.4 ppg). However, during this 2020 campaign, Missouri fell to 66th nationally in total defense (408 ypg) and 85th in scoring defense by allowing 32.3 points per game.