Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman threw his support behind embattled football coach Lovie Smith on Sunday morning in the form of a two-year contract extension.
The new deal, the details of which are still being finalized, extend Smith's agreement with the Fighting Illini through 2023. The former NFL head coach has a 9-27 record through three seasons in Champaign and just completed a second straight last-place finish in the Big Ten's West Division.