Illini's new offensive coordinator admits to being 'high-energy guy'

If Ron Zook was a few years younger, spoke with a Texas accent and preferred to coach offense rather than defense, then he'd be Mike Schultz.

So it makes perfect sense Zook hired the 51-year-old Schultz away from TCU to replace Mike Locksley as Illinois' offensive coordinator.

Zook hooked up with Schultz through mutual friends in the business, though Zook's reputation apparently preceded him.

"He's a high-energy guy, which I like," Schultz said Tuesday on his first day on the job. "I'm a high-energy guy. He's an aggressive recruiter and so am I."

And, just as important, Schultz and Zook both prefer the spread-option attack that Illinois ran under Locksley.

Schultz, who served as TCU's offensive coordinator for the last eight years, directed a Horned Frogs attack that averaged 35 points and 417 yards per game this season.

TCU, which went 11-2 and beat Boise State in the Poinsettia Bowl, also led the nation in time of possession.

"When I watch Illinois' offense and I watch our offense, there's a lot of similarities in it," Schultz said.

Schultz has yet to meet his new players, though he knows he retains seven starters featuring senior quarterback Juice Williams and junior receiver Arrelious Benn.

He also learned Tuesday that Illinois won't retain offensive line coach Eric Wolford. In a swift development, the feisty, demanding Wolford took the same job at South Carolina after just two years in Champaign.

Wolford built a line that set a school record in 2007 for fewest sacks allowed (16 in 13 games) and also built an additional recruiting pipeline into Ohio.

Schultz's hire, however, marks the start of Illinois' ability to tap into the Lone Star State's motherlode of talent.

The Houston native, whose most famous recruit might be San Diego Chargers all-pro LaDainian Tomlinson, has been canvassing his home state for nearly 20 years.

"Realistically, coming in from Illinois, we'll have to make some decisions on where we will try to anchor in on," Schultz said. "I think that's a discussion I need to have and get Coach Zook's input on that, too.

"There's a lot of football players in this state. From my understanding, Wisconsin has come in here and got football players out of this state. So has Purdue and things like that. I'm fairly confident we'll be able to come in and get into the Texas recruiting and get some good kids out of here."