Lovie Smith did not recruit Jake Hansen to play at the University of Illinois, but the 6-1, 230-pound linebacker played 35 of his 40 games for the Big Ten school under Smith.
Hansen also played while Miles Smith was on the Illinois staff. With five seasons logged with the Smith family, Hansen knows how similar father and son can be.
“Coach Miles grew up in that defense so he knows it better than anyone,” Hansen told reporters Sept. 1 “He coaches us hard and he coaches as well. I had a little experience with him at Illinois so I knew what he was about and knew what he stood for so coming here was an easy decision for me as an undrafted free agent.”
Hansen tallied 274 combined tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, three interceptions, 12 forced fumbles, and seven fumble recoveries during all six seasons at Illinois.
According to Hansen, the linebackers coach is more relatable — but only because of his age proximity to the players.
Said Hansen: “There are similarities, they both know the system super well. They have a little bit different coaching style. He’s (Miles) is a little bit younger so we can relate to him. He’s a great coach.”
