Report: First Big Ten coach of the 2020 season has been fired
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The Big Ten has a few coaches on the hot seat, but on Sunday morning, the first domino fell.
Per a report from FOX Sports’s Bruce Feldman, Illinois has fired Lovie Smith after a disappointing 2020 campaign and a Saturday loss to rival Northwestern:
No official announcement has been made, but it appears as if the Illini will be on the hunt for a new coach starting today:
BREAKING: Lovie Smith is out as head coach at Illinois, per sources. @HowardGriffith/@ESPNRittenberg first reported the news
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 13, 2020
Where will the Illini turn next? This is a program that has been stagnant in recent years, despite a couple of flashes of life, particularly in 2019, when they went 6-6 in the regular season and lost the Redbox Bowl to Cal.
Smith spent 5 seasons in Champaign, going 17-39 overall and 10-33 in B1G play. He was 0-1 in bowl games.
Smith’s recruiting left a lot to be desired. So, we’ll see if Illinois’ new coach, whoever it ends up being, is a better recruiter.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
