University of Illinois Names Justin Stepp Wide Receivers Coach

'Illinois Football Banner' Photo Credit: Jimmy Emerson, DVM via Flickr

Illinois head coach Brett Bielema has named Justin Stepp as the Illini’s new wide receivers coach. The move will be finalized after the Illinois Board of Trustees votes in March to approve Stepp’s contract.

Stepp comes to Illinois after coaching the wide receivers at South Carolina for the last three seasons. Stepp was instrumental in developing such receivers as Josh Vann, Antwane Wells, Jr., and Xavier Legette.

"I have admired Coach Stepp's career from afar and I am excited to welcome him to our Illini family," said Bielema. "His relationships-driven leadership has led to an enormous amount of success in recruiting and developing NFL-caliber wide receivers.”

Before his time at South Carolina, Stepp has coached receivers at Arkansas (2018-2020), SMU (2015-2017), and Appalachian State (2012-2014. While at SMU Stepp developed NFL receivers, Courtland Sutton and Trey Quinn.

Known as a tremendous recruiter, Stepp was named as one of the nation's top 25 recruiters by Rivals. His most successful recruiting was done at Arkansas in 2019, where Stepp helped Arkansas sign four four-star receivers, the only team in the country to do so in that recruiting cycle.

Stepp and his wife, Brooke, have a son, Courtland, and a daughter, Allison.