To submit a letter to the editor, click here. Want to purchase today’s print edition? Here’s a map of single-copy locations. Sign up for our daily newsletter here CHAMPAIGN — Football coaches everywhere often present themselves as strong, capable and organized.
We sometimes forget they are people first. Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry suffered real heartbreak last week. His younger sister Ashley Lee died unexpectedly last week in Fort Myers, Fla.
She was 39. She is survived by four children, ages 9, 11, 17 and 22. Henry talked about Ashley with reporters on Tuesday at the Smith Center.
“The hard part for me as her older brother is you weren’t there. That’s the hard part. I just hope she knew she was loved when she did pass,” Henry said.
“They’re doing an autopsy report on the details and how everything came about. It was sudden. It was tragic.
” Henry shared stories about their childhood and how she helped him when he was frightened. Their bedrooms were next to each other. “I would go into her bedroom and she would just comfort me,” Henry said.
“She was such a caretaker.” Henry will return to Florida on Saturday after the Illinois-Nebraska game “to lay her to rest on Sunday.” “I do find peace in knowing my sister did know Jesus Christ,” he said.
Henry is thinking about her at all times. “I can’t believe this happened,” Henry said. Henry thanked Illinois coach Bret Bielema, the coaching staff, players, athletic director Josh Whitman and others for their support during a difficult time.
To honor Henry and Ashley, new Illinois secondary coach Corey Parker had all the defensive backs call an important woman in their lives beyond their mothers. A beautiful gesture. A year ago, the Illinois defense held Nebraska to 20 points but the Illini still lost in Champaign by 13.
Henry’s defense won’t be playing the same Cornhuskers on Friday night. Hotshot recruit Dylan Raiola changes the way Nebraska moves the ball. “First and foremost, the quarterback, that guy’s different,” Henry said ahead of a Top 25 showdown with No.
24 Illinois (3-0) set to face No. 22 Nebraska (3-0) in Lincoln, Neb. “He is as good as advertised.
Obviously, there’s a lot of (similarity) to Pat Mahomes. But the young man is a big-time player in his own right. “For a young player to come in and command that offense the way he does, he does a tremendous job.
Guys are just rallying behind him. He’s a freshman, but you can throw that all out the window. That dude has been playing the game a long time.
He’s doing it the right way.” Can Illinois get after Raiola early and rattle him a bit? It might work. “He was a five-star recruit for a reason,” Henry said.
“We’re going into Week 4. This is the first Big Ten game for him. This is the first Big Ten game for us.
They have done a tremendous job prepping him how to handle success and what’s to come for him.” Henry said Nebraska is running the ball well, which helps the passing game. “At the end of the day, the goal is to always get havoc on the quarterback, young or old,” Henry said.
“We’re going to do the best we can to try to limit some of his explosives.” Nebraska added transfer wide receivers Isaiah Neyor (Texas) and Jahmal Banks (Wake Forest), and they are having an impact. Neyor leads the team with 12 catches, including two for scores.
Banks is fourth with seven grabs. “They are super talented and they know how to stretch the field vertically,” Henry said. “They’ve got some guys that can flat out fly.
Those receivers are as talented as they come.” Illinois moved into The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time this season on Sunday. Henry didn’t celebrate.
“Pardon my language, I hate rankings,” Henry said. “I talked to our defense specifically.” With his players, he used an expletive to convey his disdain.
“I hate rankings guys,” the Illini second-year defensive coordinator continued. “I hate ‘em. I hate ‘em.
Great for recruiting. Great for our program historically. Phenomenal.
” Then he explained why he is not a fan of being ranked. “They don’t decide who goes to the national championship game in Week 3, Week 4,” Henry said. “It’s a season for a reason.
You have to play every game and every game matters.” Henry doesn’t want the outside world to influence his guys. “They’re going to get DMs and pats on the back and all that,” he said.
“That doesn’t matter right now. What matters is the task at hand. If you come in there sleepwalking .
.. any team can win any game any given week.
” Henry has seen teams in the past that believed what was being written and said. “Oh, yeah,” Henry said. “I’ve been a part of those teams where you think because you are ranked and you’ve played some good opponents early, the team that you’re playing currently is going to lay down,” Henry said.
“There’s a sense of comfort there that is scary for a coach.” Even the great Nick Saban, the best college coach in history, worried about a letdown. “It was always like, ‘What’s next? How do I keep my team humble and focused and ready for the next opportunity?’” Henry said.
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