Lovie Smith expected to be next football coach at Illinois

After being a coach in some capacity in the NFL since 1996, it looks as though Lovie Smith is heading back to the college ranks, where he last served as defensive backs coach at Ohio State in 1995.

According to Ryan Baker of CBS Chicago, Smith is expected to be named the next football coach at the University of Illinois.

Some credible sources are telling me Lovie Smith will be the next #Illini head football coach. @cbschicago

— Ryan Baker (@RyanBakerMedia) March 5, 2016

If he takes the position, it will be Smith’s first head coaching job at the collegiate level. In the NFL, he compiled a record of 89-87 as head coach of the Bears and, most recently, the Buccaneers.

Saturday was an eventful one for the university, as interim coach Bill Cubit was fired on what was the first day of the job for new athletic director Josh Whitman. With the Fighting Illini last finishing with a winning record in 2011, hiring Lovie Smith would go a long way in pumping excitement back into the program, if it does indeed happen. Stay tuned.