CHAMPAIGN — Illinois football coach Lovie Smith has even more to do to fill out his coaching staff for the 2019 season. With two assistant coaching spots to fill already after the departures of Thad Ward and Luke Butkus, Smith must now find a new strength and conditioning coach.
According to a report by ESPN's Field Yates, Joey Boese will leave Illinois for the Cincinnati Bengals. Boese joined Smith's staff in March 2016 after spending four seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Fresno State football team. He has a tie to new Bengals coach Zac Taylor, after they were both on Mike Sherman's staff at Texas A&M from 2008-11.