Fink, the Glendora High product and Rancho Cucamonga native, will have two years of eligibility remaining after graduating from USC this spring. Mike Fink said that Illinois coach Lovie Smith told his son that he would be needed by the Fighting Illini in a leadership role and that he would have every chance to win the starting job this fall.
Matt Fink spent 2018 at USC as the backup to freshman JT Daniels, who won the starting job last fall. The Trojans brought in a new offensive coordinator in Graham Harrell, who reopened the quarterback competition. After spring practice, Fink did not like his prospects to start at USC and entered the NCAA transfer portal.