Report: Illinois hiring Nathan Scheelhaase as assistant director of football operations

Nathan Scheelhaase is coming back to Champaign.

The former Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback has been hired as the program's assistant director of football operations, reports to Bob Asmussen of The News-Gazette.

The hiring is expected to be officially announced Tuesday and Scheelhaase will start later this week.

Scheelhaase was reportedly offered the same position a year ago, but turned it down. Juice Willliams, his predecessor, was hired. Williams left Illinois on April 15 to join Georgetown's athletic development staff, where his wife Jamillah also accepted a position at Georgetown law school.

Scheelhaase led the Illini to consecutive bowl wins in 2010 and 2011 for the first time in school history. He flurshied under Bill Cubit's tutelage, gaining 10,634 yards during his career and passing Williams during his final season as the career leader in total offense.

Scheelhaase is the fourth former Illini to hold the position, following Mike Bellamy, Matt Sinclair and Williams.

Follow The Champaign Room on Twitter at @Champaign_Room and Like us on Facebook. You can follow Brandon Cain on Twitter at @BrandonMCain