It's times like these that make 1960s Illini football star Bo Batchelder want to belt out a few bars of his favorite song.
"We're loyal to you, Illinois. We're orange and blue, Illinois. We'll back you to stand 'gainst the best in the land ..." the proud member of the UI's Class of '67 recited from his home in North Carolina.
Batchelder is among a chorus of UI football alumni still showing their school spirit in the aftermath of a seventh straight losing season — the third in three years under Lovie Smith.
And that means supporting athletic director Josh Whitman's decision this week — to tack two more years onto Smith's existing deal, keeping him under contract through 2023 — which most of the 30 ex-players we surveyed did.