This week’s hiring of Lovie Smith as the 25th football coach in Illini history has generated huge interest among fans and sportswriters. U of I graduate Will Leitch falls into both those categories. In a column this week for Sports On Earth, the Mattoon native recalls another optimistic time for Illini football, more than 25 years ago.
Lovie! Lisa and Brian look at a wild and crazy 48 hours for Illini sports, Maria Sharapova testing positive for a banned substance, and a short-lived but intense boxing rivalry from the 1980's. Come on aboard!
Smith says he expects the team he’s inherited to compete for a Big Ten Championship. The former Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaners coach said he planned to complete his career at Illinois, after signing a six-year, $21 million contract. "I don't know what better commitment I can show to everyone that we're going to be here for the long haul," he said.
The University of Illinois says former NFL coach Lovie Smith will be named the next football coach at the University of Illinois. Athletic Director Josh Whitman will annouce the former Chicago Bears coach as the Illini's 25th head coach at a Monday afternoon news conference.
New University of Illinois Athletic Director Josh Whitman Saturday fired head football coach Bill Cubit. Cubit served as interim head coach for one season. The decision came on Whitman's first official day on the job.
