Illinois Parting Ways With Head Coach Lovie Smith

Smith failed to put together a winning season as Illinois's head coach.

Lovie Smith will not be returning as Illinois' head coach, the school announced Sunday.

Illinois hired Smith ahead of the 2016 season, giving the veteran NFL head coach a six-year contract and his first collegiate head-coaching job. However, Smith failed to put together a winning season with the program, going just 17–39 throughout his five seasons in Champaign. Illinois also made just a single postseason appearance throughout Smith's tenure, falling last year in the Redbox Bowl. 

A 28–10 loss to Northwestern on Saturday dropped this year's team to 2–5 on the year.

"Lovie Smith led the Illinois football program with unquestioned integrity during his nearly five years of service," director of athletics Josh Whitman said in a statement. "I have tremendous respect for coach Smith and will always be grateful to him for providing a steady, experienced hand at a time when our program required stability. His unshakeable leadership, never more needed than during this pandemic, will be forever remembered.

"Nonetheless, based on extensive evaluation of the program's current state and future outlook, I have concluded the program is not progressing at the rate we should expect at this advanced stage in coach Smith's tenure."

Prior to his time with Illinois, Smith, 62, had been the head coach of the Chicago Bears from 2004–12, leading the franchise to Super Bowl XLI and three division titles. Between 2014–15, Smith was the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Illinois will enter next year's college football season looking for its first winning record since 2011. 

Offensive coordinator Rod Smith will conclude the season as the acting head coach.