Illinois Coaching Search Concludes With Tim Beckman Hire

Toledo Rockets head coach Tim Beckman was officially brought out as the new head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini Friday night, replacing Ron Zook. He described coaching Big Ten football as his lifelong dream, which makes you wonder why he went and had his MAC teams score all those points!  

Beckman, nearly going meta:

You have coaches who might win the press conference. They might make a big splash with their name. At the end of the day, it's about fit, finding someone who wants to be here, build a program and sustain it.   

And though, by most accounts, he did win the press conference, Illini blog Hail to the Orange raises two big questions Beckman will have to address:

Recruiting is a question mark, and he has apparently few pipelines to states like California, Texas, or Florida. I have been told that if we are to expect anything, that Tressel Era assistants will likely be seen here in Champaign with Beckman at the helm.

We are switching offenses again, turning back to the spread that we had discarded under Paul Petrino. I don't know what that means for players like Nathan Scheelhaase and Reilly O'Toole, but the number one priority seems like it should be retaining the quality players we can from both sides of the ball.

For more, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange and MAC blog Hustle Belt, and here's our 2011 Coaching Carousel Tracker.

Toledo Rockets head coach Tim Beckman has looked to be the favorite for the Illinois Fighting Illini job over the past few days, and it sounds like the deal could be announced as soon as Friday. The Associated Press reports Beckman has already told his players he'll be heading way, way out west.

(Also worth noting another Rockets coach has Twitterly critiqued Beckman's decision to leave.)

The MAC aficionados at Hustle Belt are accustomed to this sort of thing, and have turned to assessing the job Beckman did at Toledo:

But if he does leave, then let that be another tally on the MAC's wall of coaches who've stepped up from AQ conference coordinator to mid-major head coach and then to major-major head coach. If you want to get silly about it the last time someone replaced Ron Zook as head coach they won two national titles.

Beckman had an A-plus game plan against Ohio State, which they lost by five points. He did very admirably all season, from a near-loss at Syracuse to a rout of Temple - despite losing several starters on both sides of the ball. Back-to-back eight-win seasons, despite no MAC West division titles, was a dandy of a rebuild job on the fly considering where Toledo was (PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE POINT SHAVING). 

For more, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange and MAC blog Hustle Belt, and here's our 2011 Coaching Carousel Tracker.

Toledo Rockets coach Tim Beckman could tell his staff Thursday that he'll take the Illinois Fighting Illini head coaching job, according to the Herald Review's Mark Tupper. That's the second Illini outlet reporting Beckman has emerged as the clear No. 1 candidate for the job, which became available upon the firing of Ron Zook.

Beckman has turned Toledo into a high-powered, serviceable unit that contributed to more than one especially entertaining evening of MACtion in 2011. They'll play the Air Force Falcons in the Military Bowl. On the other end of the watchability spectrum and of the country, Illinois will play the likewise coachless UCLA Bruins in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. 

Beckman has gone 21-16 in three seasons with Toledo, making a pair of bowl games and winning a MAC division title.

For more, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange and MAC blog Hustle Belt, and here's our 2011 Coaching Carousel Tracker.

Reported Illinois Fighting Illini coaching candidates to this point: pretty much all of them. Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator Paul Chryst appears to be the most consistently reported, so let's ignore all others for the time being, but here's another seriously reported name to consider: Toledo Rockets coach Tim Beckman.

The Chicago Tribune reports Illinois is "zeroing in on" Beckman, who'll reportedly meet with the Illini on Thursday. 

The coach at Toledo for three years, he's reached the 2011 MAC Championship Game, two bowl bids, a top-10 2011 offense, and two straight winning seasons after the Rockets endured four down years in a row. He has ties throughout the midwest, having schooled in Ohio and coached at Bowling Green and Ohio State, among other stops.

His career head coaching record: 21-16.

For more, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange and MAC blog Hustle Belt, and here's our 2011 Coaching Carousel Tracker.

There are conflicting reports floating around about current Houston Cougars football coach Kevin Sumlin's interest in Illinois' vacant head coaching job, but one thing appears certain: Illinois wants Sumlin.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Sumlin is at the top of the list of candidates Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas wants to replace the recently departed Ron Zook. Other candidates getting a look are Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken and Pittsburgh Steelers running backs coach Kirby Wilson. If hired, Sumlin, and WIlson for that matter, would become the Illini's first black head coach.

Illinois has to battle, among others, Texas A&M and Arizona State for Sumlin's services, and, according to an emancipated college football writer, that's not a likelihood at this point:

Feldman is the most trusted reporter yet with insight as to the Sumlin-to-Illinois rumors, so unless something changes drastically, this appears to be wishful think on Thomas' part.

For more on Sumlin's ongoing job hunt, check in with SB Nation Houston. For updates and info on Illinois' search, visit Hail to the Orange.

Illinois Fighting Illini athletic director Mike Thomas reportedly flew to Madison, Wisonsin on Monday night to interview Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator Paul Chryst, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Ilinois fired head coach Ron Zook this week after the Illini squandered a 6-0 start to finish 6-6.

Chryst, a former quarterback at Wisconsin, has been OC with the Badgers since 2005. He also overseas the quarterback position. Prior to that, he was offensive coordinator for the Oregon State Beavers. He was Wisconsin's tight end coach before that position.

While Chryst has a strong reputation for offense, his lack of recruiting prowess is seen as a hindrance.

Illinois is said to also have a close eye on Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi and Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

For more on Illinois football, visit Hail To The Orange. For more on Wisconsin football, keep an eye on Bucky's 5th Quarter.

And here we have an actual report from the Chicago Tribune's Shannon Ryan on who might replace Ron Zook as the Illinois Fighting Illini head coach. Michigan St. Spartans defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi, Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano, and Toledo Rockets head coach Tim Beckman make this list.

Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator Paul Chryst is also a reported candidate, making Illinois' coaching search look both quick and thorough. They've had time to prepare for this one.

Schiano's name appears in virtually every coaching candidates list that isn't meant for Texases or Floridas. He turned down the Michigan Wolverines job during their hasty search that settled on Rich Rodriguez, though it's hard to say whether he was turning down Michigan's football program or Michigan's administration. Illinois appears to be doing a better job now than Michigan did then, though that's also true of the way you brushed your teeth this morning. Great work!

For more on the Fighting Illini, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange, and here's our 2011 Coaching Carousel Tracker.

Sunday, the Illinois Fighting Illini fired coach Ron Zook. Monday, the Chicago Tribune's beat writer did what beat writers do: come up with possible replacements and list them. It's a well-made list and fully logical, but it's meant to be read as informed speculation.

Somehow, Temple coach Steve Addazio's presence on the list stirred up something beyond just, "Hey, that'd be ____." Houston's Kevin Sumlin is also on the list, but nobody's tweeting, "Kevin Sumlin, next Illinois coach? Chicago Tribune reports ..." about him.

All of this led to Addazio [AUTOPLAY VIDEO AD WARNING] denying whatever it was that was reported:

"I have no comment," Addazio said Monday about being mentioned for the job. "I have nothing to say about that. I'm focused on playing in a bowl game."

Here we have a coach denying a non-report, which may be the least newsworthy thing that has ever happened, but I thought you'd like to know.

For more on the Fighting Illini, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange. For more Temple, head to SB Nation Philly and MAC blog Hustle Belt.

Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator Paul Chryst has been one of the nation's most intriguing assistants for a couple years now. Any real or presumed Midwestern coaching vacancy is sure to include his name on candidate lists. But here we have an actual report: according to the Journal-Sentinel's Jeff Potrykus, Chryst is one of the Illinois Fighting Illini's top targets to replace Ron Zook.

Potrykus reports a meeting should happen soon and provides essential plane-tracking details.

Chryst has captained the Wisconsin offense since 2005, previously coaching at Oregon State. He played his college ball in Madison as well. His 2005 team set school scoring records, and that was just the start.

He's ranked in the top five nationally in scoring for both of the past two years -- and one of those doesn't include Russell Wilson. It's not often a power running offense can score in bundles, but Chryst's teams have done just that.

For more on the Fighting Illini, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange.

The Illinois Fighting Illini fired seven-year head coach Ron Zook Sunday after an 0-6 conclusion to a promising 2011 season. The former Florida Gators coach went 34-50 in Champaign. In a brief message to media members after being fired, Zook thanked athletic department personnel before becoming emotional while thanking his players.

He declined to take any questions, out of respect for his now former players.

I want to thank coach Ron Guenther, former athletic director who gave us a chance and stood behind us during difficult times. To our current athletic director Mike Thomas and to president Hogan, I understand you have a job to do and that requires difficult decisions, and I respect that. 

I think our program is very close, I really do. We just didn't quite finish a few games here and there, but I'm proud of how close we are.

Finally, I want to thank our players. They know how I feel about them. I think you all know how I feel about them. They've come here, they've worked so hard, they tried hard to do what we've asked of them. I have a great appreciation for our players and the relationships we've shared. This is a family, it truly is.

For more on the Fighting Illini, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange.

Illinois head coach Ron Zook has been fired, according to a report from the Champaign News-Gazette's Bob Asmussen. Asmussen cites a source in his report, and says that official word on Zook's firing is forthcoming. Sources also tell CBS Sports that a press conference has been called for 4 p.m. Central to announce the firing.

Zook being let go comes as no surprise now, given the roller-coaster ride that has been Illinois football in the last 12 months. Zook was rumored to be on his way out at the end of 2010, after his Illini posted a 6-6 record, but was brought back for the 2011 season and had Illinois at 6-0 after its first six games of the season.

Then the Illini lost six straight games, becoming the first team in college football history to start 6-0 and finish 6-6, a collapse that likely sealed Zook's fate.

Zook is 34-50 in seven seasons at Illinois, peaking with a trip to the Rose Bowl in 2007 and recording just one other season above .500.

For more on the Fighting Illini, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange.