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Former Illinois assistant lands job with in-state program

Andrew Peters

By Andrew Peters

Published:

Southern Illinois has hired former Illinois player and assistant Zach Grant as its tight ends coach.

Grant played at Illinois from 2013 to 2016 where he amassed 27 receptions for 272 yards receiving and 1 touchdown. In 2016, he was second on the team in catches with 26. He also averaged 10.2 yards per catch in his final season with the Illini.

Following his stint as a player, Grant transitioned to a coaching role, serving as a graduate assistant for the Illini. He has spent the past three seasons with Western Illinois coaching both running backs and wide receivers.

“I have known Zach for a while through (Coach) Derek Leonard at Rochester,” Southern Illinois head coach Nick Hill said per an SIU press release. “I’ve always been impressed by him as someone I would love to be a part of our staff, when the time was right.”

The Salukis are hoping Grant will have an immediate impact at Southern Illinois, as they have had a rough couple of years. The Salukis finished 5-6 this season, but managed to get a win over a Power 5 opponent when they defeated Northwestern.

Andrew Peters