Illini assistant Corey Parker inducted into Michigan High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - Corey Parker, the defensive backs coach for the Illinois Football team, has been inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame.

From 2009-2021, Parker served as the Dean of Students at River Rouge High School, later being appointed Athletic Director from 2016-21. He served as the program's head football coach for 13 seasons, during which the Panthers became a Michigan powerhouse.

During his tenure, Parker was a three-time regional coach of the year and earned state coach of the year honors in 2015 and 2019. During his tenure, more than 100 of his players went on to play college football. In a complete turnaround of the program, River Rouge earned 7 district titles, 5 regional crowns, made 5 state semifinal appearances, and 3 appearances in the state championship game, including a Division 3 championship in 2019.

In 2022, Parker joined the staff at the University of Toledo, where their defensive secondary ranked as one of the best in the nation in both 2022 and 2023.

Following his 2 seasons at Toledo, Parker joined the staff at Illinois where he's helped coach 3 Illini DBs to All-Big Ten selections - Xavier Scott (2024), Juice Clarke (2025), and Torrie Cox Jr. (2025).