The Fighting Illini just can’t get enough of NIU football coaches.

Scott Shafer, the Huskies’ defensive coordinator for the 2003 season, was hired by Illinois head coach Ron Turner on Dec. 31 to become the Illini secondary coach.

Shafer joins friends and former NIU coaches Dan Roushar and Mike Mallory. His coaching experience with both coaches and his success at NIU are what attracted the Illini to hire him, Turner said.

“He comes in with outstanding credentials and has had great success with his secondary units over the past decade of coaching,” Turner said. “I was very impressed with the way Northern Illinois played us defensively in 2001 (a 17-12 Illini win) and have been following his career ever since.”

Shafer, Roushar and Mallory coached together for three seasons at the University of Rhode Island, Shafer’s first coaching job.

“We had a lot of fun there turning their program around,” Shafer said. “We helped do the same thing at Northern, which was a great experience.”

Shafer coached eight years at NIU. In his last four as defensive coordinator, the Huskies compiled a 30-16 record. Despite leaving for the Illini, Shafer said he would not rule out returning to NIU.

“I have some great memories at Northern,” Shafer said. “The opportunities that Joe Novak gave me are ones that I appreciate. When you get a chance to coach at a BCS school, you open up the possibility to become head coach of a school like Northern.”

NIU offensive coordinator Matt Canada coached with Shafer for the last six years at NIU, and two at Indiana, where Shafer coached as a graduate assistant.

“Scott and I started coaching together at Indiana and have been friends for a long time,” Canada said, “but in this business, that’s what happens. I’m happy for him, but he’s not a guy I’m happy to see leave.”

NIU head coach Joe Novak was on the road recruiting and unavailable for comment.

Although coaches have left NIU to join other higher-paying programs, Canada said he isn’t planning on leaving any time soon. Shafer’s absence leaves a vacancy in the defensive coordinator position. Canada said several applicants already are being considered.

“Our program is one of the best in the country, and people want to be a part of that,” Canada said. “The moment the word got out that Shafer was leaving, several qualified applicants expressed interest in the job.”

Shafer joins an Illini team that posted a 1-11 record this season. The team hopes to start the rebuilding process by creating an “explosive defense,” Shafer said.

NIU junior free safety Lionel Hickenbottom had some encouraging words for Shafer.

“At U of I, we want to do the same things we did at Northern,” Shafer said. “Lionel Hickenbottom said, ‘Get them playing like us, coach,’ and that’s our goal. We have a lot of work to do at Illinois, but it’s nothing we haven’t done before.”

Just last year, Roushar also was hired by Turner. That brings the total of former NIU staffers in Champaign to five, as Shafer joins Mallory, Roushar, ex-NIU assistant Robert Jackson and former Huskie Strength and Conditioning Coach Jim Zielinski.