Bret Bielema got a major part of his coaching staff signed, sealed and delivered as the Illinois head coach landed defensive coordinator Ryan Walters. The energetic Walters was most recently on staff at Missouri where he was the Tigers defensive coordinator.

Walters has a long and solid resume. He joined the Tigers staff in 2015 as their safeties coach, becoming co-defensive coordinator the next season and then earning the title outright in 2018.

Prior to that, Walters served in various capacities on staff at Memphis, North Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona and at his alma mater, Colorado, where he was a student assistant in 2009. He had played at Colorado, being named captain as a senior in 2008.

He played in 46 games for Colorado with 33 starts at defensive back.

Bielema was hired last month to take over Lovie Smith at Illinois. He most recently was on the coaching staff of the New York Giants.

Bielema is best known for his seven seasons at Wisconsin, beginning in 2006, where he took the Badgers to seven winning seasons and posted a 2-4 record in bowl games.