CHAMPAIGN — Illinois co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Terrance Jamison is heading to the NFL. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Friday morning Jamison was being hired by the Buffalo Bills as defensive line coach, joining new coach Joe Brady’s first staff.
Jamison was one of the original 10 assistants Bret Bielema hired when he took the Illinois job in December 2020. The former Wisconsin defensive lineman, who played for Bielema in the mid-2000s, was promoted to co-defensive coordinator for the Illini in 2023. He helped mentor multiple eventual NFL players in Champaign, including All-American defensive lineman Johnny Newton.
Jamison is the fourth Illinois assistant to leave the program this offseason. Thad Ward went back to Kansas State as associate head coach and wide receivers coach, Robby Discher is expected to be Ohio State’s new special teams coordinator and Aaron Henry took a demotion to reportedly join Marcus Freeman’s staff at Notre Dame as co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.
Henry and Jamison’s exit leaves offensive line coach Bart Miller as the only original Bielema assistant still in that role at Illinois. Ben Miller transitioned from tight ends coach and special teams coordinator to senior head coach analyst while dealing with health issues.
Bielema fired offensive coordinator Tony Petersen after one season, and he’s been at Illinois State since 2022. Ryan Walters is now the defensive coordinator at Washington, Kevin Kane is defensive coordinator at Purdue, Cory Patterson is running backs coach at Kansas State, George McDonald is passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at LSU and Andy Buh is a senior defensive analyst at Notre Dame.