Former Bears coach Lovie Smith has been named head coach at the University of Illinois.
Smith, who reportedly signed a six-year, $21 million contract, will be officially introduced in Champaign today at a 2 p.m. news conference.
On Saturday, Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman fired head football coach Bill Cubit on Whitman’s first day on the job. Cubit had signed a two-year contract last Nov. 29 after leading the Illini to a 5-7 record in 2015 as interim head coach.