Illinois to Meet Old Friend and Foe in Washington's Ryan Walters in Week 9

That notion has never been more evident than it is in Illinois’ upcoming matchup against Washington – which will pit Bielema and offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. against a very familiar face: Ryan Walters.

Walters spent two seasons as the Illini’s defensive coordinator under Bielema, from 2021-2022, the latter of which saw Illinois finish with the nation’s top-ranked defense in points allowed (12.8 per game). Walters now holds that same position with the Huskies.

And this won’t be the first time that Illinois faces off against Walters, who left the Illini for Purdue, where he was the head coach in West Lafayette from 2023-2024. During his short-lived stint leading the Boilermakers, Walters posted a 1-1 record against the Illini.

Considering Lunney coached “against” Walters on a day-to-day basis at every practice for a full season (Lunney's and Walters' stints in Champaign overlapped only during the 2022 season) and has since seen Walters as an actual opponent twice more, it’s safe to say there are some familiarities. But Walters, as most coaches who stick around in the business do, continues to evolve.

Barry Lunney Jr. on facing Ryan Walters

Asked at Monday's press conference whether he expected to have a feel for Walters' schemes, Lunney said he anticipated a little of both: “There’s some familiarity and there’s new spins and new wrinkles, new schematic elements to it.

“Obviously, I have a great respect for Ryan and what he’s done and what he continues to do from a defensive standpoint. They’ve got a really good defense that plays a lot of multiple looks, presents a lot of challenges – but there’s some grassroots familiarity. But all in all, if you just turn the film on, there’s definitely a different spin on things from what it was when he was here.”

Those adjustments on Walters' part are clearly working. Consider: His Huskies unit held Ohio State’s explosive offense – which dinged Illinois for 34 points, despite a decent defensive performance – nearly scoreless in the first half in Week 5.

The Buckeyes didn’t get their zero off the scoreboard until 1:08 remaining before halftime. By game’s end, the nation’s No. 1 squad finished with just 24 points – which pales in comparison to the 36.7 points Ohio State has averaged across its three other Big Ten games.

Bret Bielema praises Walters

“I just think Ryan sees the game extremely well, and I’m always just amazed,” said Bielema on Monday. “It’s not fun to go against, but it’s also fun to see and witness.”

Saturday against Walters’ crew doesn't figure to be a carnival ride for the Illini, but you can bet they will walk away more than pleased if they can put up enough points to escape Seattle with a potentially season-altering upset win.