Talk about getting a warm welcome on your first day of a new gig. The University of Illinois hired former Tampa Bay head coach Lovie Smith over the weekend as its new head football coach, and the hire is creating all sorts of buzz. On Monday, Illinois' athletic director introduced Smith to his new team and it's safe to say they're pretty excited about the hire. The team gave Smith a standing ovation when the former Bucs head coach was introduced.
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.
