Aaron Henry is off to Notre Dame. He is now “former” Illinois Defensive Coordinator, and this change has made without the need of Illini head coach Bret Bielema having to fire anyone. Given how Henry is his crony, and a former player of his at the University of Wisconsin, it would have been an extremely difficult conversation.
It is kind of like how Ohio State hired away Illinois Special Teams Coordinator Robbie Discher yesterday.
Now…if only another program would come along, in need of a new offensive line coach. If Bart Miller leaves, then all three of the staff changes that Bielema needed to make this offseason will have been made.
Henry in new surroundings is good for all involved. Maybe he reinvents himself and truly finds his way in South Bend.
Sometimes that one change of scenery can make all the difference.
Look at UCLA center Lauren Betts. She began her career at Stanford, where she was a backup to Cameron Brink, who is now one of the WNBA’s biggest names. Betts never found her place in Palo Alto, so she transferred to UCLA, where her college career took off. She is now poised to become the first pick in the next WNBA Draft.
Maybe Aaron Henry will reach his ceiling with the Fighting Irish.
However, before we look forward, we must look behind. To know where you’re going, you must be aware of where you’ve been.
Aaron Henry 5 Worst Games at Illinois
27-10 L at Wisconsin, Nov. 22, 2025
To lose at his alma mater, against one of the worst teams that this prestigious program has put out in recent years, was simply embarassing. While 27 points doesn’t look like a lot, this was a Wisconsin offense that was just plain abysmal.
That unit did next to nothing, almost all season long, but they still gashed Illinois.
42-25 L at Washington, Oct 25, 2025
Husky Stadium is a very tough place to play, no doubt, but this was another UW that was able to do whatever they wanted against Henry’s unit. It was just touchdown drive after touchdown drive after touchdown drive until this game was put on ice like the fresh Pacific salmon at Pike Place Market.
W 50-49 (OT) over Purdue, Oct. 12, 2024
Yes, you can make this list with a win. It is a just selection, as this Purdue team was 1-11. They were awful! When you are a 10 win team, as Illinois was, and it took you that long to finally bury them? When you kept letting a bad Boiler team back in it, over and over.
L 44-19 at Purdue, Sept. 23, 2023
This was another horribly terrible Purdue team, and this game was an unmitigated disaster, all around.
L 15-13 at #16 Iowa, Nov. 18, 2023
Yes, you can get on this list despite giving up only 15 points. Remember this was peak Brian Ferentz Iowa offense! This was the nadir of the Hawkeyes era where completing a forward pass totally baffled them.
In a stretch run of horrendous quarterbacking, this was a Deacon Jones game. He might have been the worst of the worst.
Dishonorable Mention
63-10 L at #19 Indiana, Sept. 20, 2025
L 34-23 at Kansas, Sept. 8, 2023
Aaron Henry 5 Best Games at Illinois
21-17 W over #15 South Carolina, Citrus Bowl, Dec. 31, 2024
Forget what happened to LaNorris Sellers and South Carolina since this game.
They came in thinking they should have been playoff bound. Aaron Henry solved Sellers before anyone else could.
21-7 W over #24 Michigan, Oct 19, 2024
We know what Sherrone Moore was, and UM had no quarterbacking that season, but this was still a great game all around. The Red Grange game, Memorial Stadium 100th anniversary day, the stakes were high.
And Henry answered the bell.
30-28 W over Tennessee, Music City Bowl, Dec. 30, 2025
A really good game plan just kept Joey Aguilar and company off the field. That’s always a winning strategy.
23-17 W over #19 Kansas, Sept 7, 2024
Jalon Daniels can ball; and you found a way to continously keep him in check.
38-0 W over Western Michigan, Sept. 20, 2025
Shutting out the eventual MAC champs is definitely something to take pride in.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.