LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears on Tuesday hired Jon Hoke as their defensive backs coach. Hoke, who will turn 52 later this month, served in the same position with the Houston Texans the past seven seasons.

“I’m very excited,” Hoke said. “I have such great respect for the head coach and the assistant coaches on that staff. They have a good football team, and anytime you get to go to a good football team, it’s exciting because you know you have a chance to win games on Sunday.”

Jon Hoke

Hoke replaces Steve Wilks, who was released after three seasons with the Bears. Hoke will take over a secondary that includes veterans Mike Brown, Charles Tillman, Nate Vasher and Danieal Manning as well as promising young players Corey Graham, Kevin Payne and Craig Steltz.

Hoke first met Bears coach Lovie Smith a decade ago when Hoke was a defensive assistant at Florida and Smith was linebackers coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hoke and other college coaches were invited to Tampa Bay practices during the offseason.

“We would watch tape together and he was always very gracious with his time from a coaching standpoint,” Hoke said. “He was always very accommodating.”

Hoke later worked with Bears assistants Dave Toub, Harry Hiestand and Chris Tabor during four seasons at Missouri from 1994-98. Hoke then spent three seasons as defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Florida from 1999-2001, also serving as assistant head coach in his final two years with the Gators. Hoke coordinated a Florida defense that included Bears defensive end Alex Brown.

Hoke also coached at Bowling Green (1983-86), San Diego State (1987-88) and Kent State (1989-93).

As a player, Hoke appeared in 11 games as a cornerback with the Bears in 1980, recording seven tackles. Six of those stops came in a 10-6 loss to the Houston Oilers at Soldier Field.

“I was on Earl Campbell’s highlight tape,” he said with a laugh.

Hoke enjoyed spending his only NFL season as a player in Chicago.

“The fans were consumed with the Bears,” he said. “We weren’t very good, but they are diehard fans and they understand football. They know football and they’re very passionate about their football.”

Hoke played on a Bears team that included future Hall of Famers Walter Payton, Dan Hampton and Alan Page.

“I was just there that one year and I was a rookie,” he said. “I was in awe more than anything else, just shaking my head that I can’t believe I’m doing this. I wasn’t a great player by any stretch of the imagination, but I got my opportunity and it was a wonderful experience.”