Illinois fired Tim Beckman before the 2015 season ever started and after going 5-7, the new Athletic Director decided it was already time for a new head coach and fired Bill Cubit. Within hours of the firing, reports surfaced that the Illini could be hiring a former NFL coach who went to a Super Bowl.
Videos by FanBuzz
Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman is reporting that Illinois has already tabbed Lovie Smith as the new head coach. Josh Whitman is the new AD as of Saturday and the Cubit firing was his first move to make. At a press conference, Whitman seemed to have a head coach option in mind but said any hire would have to wait until the school's HR process plays out.
Smith's last stint as a college coach was 21 years ago when he was the defensive backs coach at Ohio State. A source told Fox Sports that Smith might be tempted by the job because he could also bring two of his sons with him to Illinois who were on his staff in Tampa Bay.
Smith's career record in the NFL is 89-87 and he was fired after two seasons in Tampa Bay after the team went 8-24.
