CHAMPAIGN – Chris Wilkerson was already on San Jose State’s staff, rising from defensive ends coach to defensive coordinator, when Barry Lunney Jr. was hired as the Spartans’ co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2003.
The overlap of their careers was short-lived, however. Fitz Hill resigned as San Jose State coach after the 2004 season, and Wilkerson moved to Dartmouth as associate head coach before landing the top job at the University of Chicago and returning to coach his alma mater, Eastern Illinois, in 2022.
Lunney returned to Arkansas in 2005 to coach with his father at Bentonville High School. That led to college stops at Arkansas and Texas-San Antonio before reteaming with Bret Bielema at Illinois as offensive coordinator in 2022.
But even though they only spent a short time together at San Jose State University, those two years in the Bay Area saw Wilkerson and his wife Sharna and Lunney and his wife Janelle develop a close relationship – so close that the Wilkersons asked the Lunneys to be godparents to their son Peyton.
“Peyton was born on August 31, 2004, and we couldn’t have imagined better people to ask for the honor of being his godparents,” Wilkerson said. “They graciously accepted the invitation and they have had a huge impact on his life. … He is an incredible football coach, a great offensive player, but an even better person. They are incredible people and it is an honor and a privilege to call them our son’s godparents.”
Wilkerson and Lunney will face off from opposing sidelines at Memorial Stadium for the second time in their coaching careers on Thursday night when Illinois hosts EIU at 8 p.m. (They faced each other in 2002 before meeting when San Jose State played at Tulsa, where Lunney was wide receivers coach).
“I felt like I learned a lot about Eastern Illinois knowing him years ago because he coached and played there and his wife was from there,” Lunney said. “I felt connected to the culture of Eastern Illinois. To see him come back there and do what he did in such a short amount of time is super impressive. And number 2 is not surprising.”
EIU finished 2-9 in Wilkerson’s first season as coach, but even that was an improvement considering the Panthers won just one game under Adam Cushing in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Last season, EIU improved by six games, finishing 8-3 and narrowly missing a spot in the FCS playoffs.
While the Panthers’ offense improved in 2023 with Georgetown transfer quarterback Pierce Holley and FCS freshman All-American running back MJ Flowers, they were able to make real progress on defense. EIU ranked 16th nationally in scoring defense and 42nd in total defense out of 122 FCS programs last season. The Panthers ranked 85th in scoring defense and 83rd in total defense in 2022.
“They’re very detail-oriented, just like Chris,” Lunney said of the EIU defense. “They’re meticulous. They play to the personality of the head coach and it’s a very impressive unit. … From a defensive standpoint, I would say he took the time years ago to teach me a lot about defense. I liked taking him into the offensive room to get his opinion on what they were doing and how he taught it.”
Wilkerson also knows enough about Lunney to understand the challenges Illinois’ offense could pose to his team Thursday night. But even that is tempered by what the EIU coach knows about Bielema.
“I know Barry, he definitely wants to score some points and he wants to throw the football around a little bit,” Wilkerson said. “I also know they play complementary football. … They pride themselves on running the football, defending the run and covering kicks. They’re big and physical up front. They’ve got a three-headed monster at tailback. I think they’ll probably establish the running game early in the football game — or try to establish the running game.”
But Wilkerson doesn’t expect Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer to be able to step up as a wide receiver in the season opener with Pat Bryant, Zakhari Franklin and Co. The fact that he has established the running style doesn’t mean that Lunney won’t still use his passing attack.
“They have weapons everywhere,” Wilkerson said. “I know they probably want to try to get (Altmyer) off to a good start, too. I would expect there to be some quick, easy throws, and as they establish the running game, they’ll try to get him going with plays.”
