Sept. 23--After younger players addressed him as "Coach," Nathan Scheelhaase's new role at Illinois sank in. For Reilly O'Toole, cutting back on his joking is part of adopting a more professional persona.
The former Illinois quarterbacks have grown up and traded in their helmets for headsets.
Both joined the coaching staff this year, Scheelhaase as running backs coach and O'Toole as a graduate assistant working with the offense.
"It was a pretty easy decision," said O'Toole, who graduated from Illinois in the spring. "I have such a good relationship with guys on the team and wanted to come back to do something special."
The transition from player to coach for young men such as Scheelhaase and O'Toole is like being promoted from student to teacher.
O'Toole led the Illini to the Heart of Dallas Bowl last season, filling in for injured Wes Lunt, after working mainly as a backup for four seasons. Scheelhaase, a four-year starter from 2010 to '13, finished his career as Illinois' all-time total offense leader.
After graduating, both thought their days in football might be finished.
When Illinois coaches called O'Toole this summer, he was working in financial planning in Lombard and living with his parents. He had a stable 9-to-5 job, but he eagerly grasped the opportunity to jump into the wild world of coaching.
"I talked it over with my parents, and they were all excited," said O'Toole, who now lives by himself in Champaign. "I didn't know if they would be for it because I had just started another career. I always wanted to get into coaching and be around the sport. I'd been doing it my entire life."
Scheelhaase, who rejoined Illinois in May, had been working as a youth pastor in Louisville, Ky., where he had moved with his wife, Morgan. He wanted to influence young people but figured it wasn't going to be through football until he heard a high school coach give a speech that captivated the young audience.
"I had a moment where it was like, 'I think this is what I'm supposed to do,' " he said. "I thought about the hours (coaches) put in and the time away from family life. Family is something super important to me. I thought, 'What if someone was to do that in a different way? What if someone was to not sacrifice their family for their profession?' "
Both said their familiarity with the offensive system, players and coaches has made the transition smooth.
As for the amount of work, "I thought I watched a lot of film as a player, but as a coach it's completely different," O'Toole said. "It's probably three times as much. We do it all day, every day. We're just breaking it down, making cutups for the coaches."
Scheelhaase said he has a new appreciation for his former coaches.
"Being on this side of the curtain has taught me how much goes into everything each week," he said. "From the recruiting side, I didn't realize how much went into it."
The players they coach were their teammates recently, but that hasn't interfered with Scheelhaase and O'Toole earning their respect.
"They know the whole offense in and out," interim coach Bill Cubit said. "They've got instant respect there. They're really good on the sidelines."
When Scheelhaase was talking to a reporter, O'Toole stood in his view trying to make him laugh.
"I don't joke around as much I used to," O'Toole said. "I have to be a little more serious. It's a work in progress."
sryan@tribpub.com
