The first shift in Tyson Helton’s coaching staff came Friday afternoon.

Defensive ends coach Jimmy Lindsey is leaving Western Kentucky to take the same job with Lovie Smith’s staff at Illinois, the Illini program announced Friday afternoon.

Lindsey coached defensive ends and served as recruiting coordinator for the Hilltoppers the last three seasons. He’s the first WKU assistant coach to leave the program this offseason.

“Coach Lindsey has coached some outstanding players during his career and is a proven recruiter at each of his previous coaching stops,” Smith said in a news release. “He has a great reputation in coaching edge rushers and comes highly recommended.”

Lindsey coached defensive ends Juwuan Jones and Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year DeAngelo Malone as one of the strongest position groups on the Toppers’ defense. Malone had a school-record 21 tackles for loss this season. Jones and Malone both return next season.

Lindsey was retained by Helton after joining WKU on former coach Mike Sanford’s first defensive staff in 2017. All but one position coach has remained the same during that three-year span, making Lindsey the first departure of that group as more national coaching jobs shift in the next few weeks.