Illinois fires head coach Bill Cubit

Illinois fired HC Bill Cubit.
Cubit's firing comes out of left field a bit, as he had just signed a two-year extension in late November. He infamously took over as interim head coach just a week before the start of the 2015 season, replacing Tim Beckman (who was jettisoned due to allegations of player misconduct). While the Illini started out strong against a weak schedule, they couldn't maintain their momentum and ultimately finished the 2015 campaign with a 5-7 record--just 2-6 in conference. In a statement, AD Josh Whitman said, "Bill is a good man and a good football coach. All of us in the Illini Nation owe him a debt of gratitude for his work leading our team these last months." Whitman indicated that the program was searching for some level of consistency. Spring practice--which had been set for March 11--will be delayed until Whitman and company can secure a replacement for Cubit.

Illinois fired HC Bill Cubit.
Cubit's firing comes out of left field a bit, as he had just signed a two-year extension in late November. He infamously took over as interim head coach just a week before the start of the 2015 season, replacing Tim Beckman (who was jettisoned due to allegations of player misconduct). While the Illini started out strong against a weak schedule, they couldn't maintain their momentum and ultimately finished the 2015 campaign with a 5-7 record--just 2-6 in conference. In a statement, AD Josh Whitman said, "Bill is a good man and a good football coach. All of us in the Illini Nation owe him a debt of gratitude for his work leading our team these last months." Whitman indicated that the program was searching for some level of consistency. Spring practice--which had been set for March 11--will be delayed until Whitman and company can secure a replacement for Cubit.