Illinois is slated to introduce Lovie Smith as its new football coach in a Monday afternoon press conference.
Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman posted a photo of himself and Smith, with Smith wearing a white Illinois pullover, from the eighth floor of Memorial Stadium on Monday morning.
The move comes two days after Whitman fired Bill Cubit on Saturday morning, citing a desire to build for the future. Speculation centered on Smith, the former head coach with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, being the Illini’s choice within hours of Cubit’s ouster.
Smith, 57, will become the 25th football coach in Illinois history and the first black head coach in either football or men’s basketball at the university.