Illinois fires head football coach Tim Beckman

Posted on August 28, 2015

Fighting Illini head football coach Tim Beckman has been fired. (Photo courtesy Fighting Illini Football/Facebook)

By Joe Ragusa

CHAMPAIGN – University of Illinois head football coach Tim Beckman has been fired.

U of I Director of Athletics Mike Thomas said in a statement that Beckman was let go Friday, citing preliminary results of an external review into allegations involving the program.

Thomas said its best to dismiss Beckman now rather than when results of the full investigation come out during the season. Thomas said Beckman forced players to play through injuries and threatened to pull their scholarships during the spring semester of their senior year if they were no longer eligible to play.

The university said Beckman will not receive the final $3.1 million in his contract.

Illini offensive coordinator Bill Cubit has been named interim head coach.

Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].

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