University Takes Bold Step Forward With Football Program
CHAMPAIGN, IL – Illinois Director of Athletics Josh
Whitman took a major step in elevating Fighting Illini football in the
national landscape with the hiring of longtime NFL coach Lovie Smith as
head football coach.
“I am extremely excited to be named head coach of
the Fighting Illini,” Smith said. “Josh approached me about this
possibility, and I immediately seized on the opportunity to make a
difference in the lives of the young men who are part
of the program today and in the future. I take this responsibility very
seriously and can’t wait to get a staff in place to start our move to
make Illinois a contender for Big Ten titles. We will play an exciting
brand of football that will make our fans,
alumni, student body and members of the University community extremely
proud.”
Smith becomes the 25th head football
coach at Illinois. He is the second coach to move directly from head
coach in the NFL to Champaign-Urbana after John Mackovic took the Illini
head coaching position in 1988 following a career
with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Naming Lovie Smith as the Illinois head football
coach is the first step in taking this program to a place of national
prominence,” Whitman said. “We will build a program that contends
annually for Big Ten and national championships. The
timing for this move was extremely tight, and we needed to move
quickly. A coach of Lovie’s caliber would not have been available to us
if we had waited until after the 2016 season. Lovie’s reputation as a
coach, and even more so as a person, made it clear
it was an awesome opportunity for the University of Illinois.”
Interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson added her support to the hire.
“Just as he promised, Josh Whitman is taking bold
and decisive action to ensure that Illinois athletics represents the
same level of excellence as Illinois academics,” Wilson said. “Coach
Smith shares our vision for success at the highest
level, and I’m delighted to welcome him to the Illinois family.”
Smith returns to college football for the first
time since 1996 after spending 19 years in the NFL, including 11 years
as a head coach. He led the Chicago Bears for nine seasons from 2004-12
and amassed a record of 81-63 (.563 win pct.),
including three division titles, two NFC Championship Game appearances
(2006 and 2010) and a berth in Super Bowl XLI. The AP Coach of the Year
in 2005, Smith’s 81 wins with Chicago are the third-most in Bears
history. He spent the past two years as head coach
of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the Bucs improved from two victories
in 2014 to six wins in 2015.
Before taking over as Chicago’s head coach, Smith
spent three seasons with the St. Louis Rams as the assistant head
coach/defensive coordinator (2003) and defensive coordinator (2001-03).
He helped the 2001 Rams to an appearance in Super
Bowl XXXVI. Prior to his time in St. Louis, Smith spent four seasons
tutoring linebackers in Tampa Bay as part of Tony Dungy’s coaching
staff, helping to create one of the league’s most dominant defenses of
the late 1990s and early 2000s. Smith and Dungy became
the first two African-American head coaches to coach in the Super Bowl
when they faced each other in XLI.
Smith spent his first 14 years as a collegiate
coach, working at Tulsa (1983-86), Wisconsin (1987), Arizona State
(1988-91), Kentucky (1992), Tennessee (1993-94) and Ohio State (1995).
Smith and his wife, MaryAnne, are the proud parents
of three children: Mikal, Matthew and Miles. A native of Big Sandy,
Texas, Smith led the Big Sandy Wildcats to three consecutive state
championships in high school and was all-state as
a defensive end and linebacker. He went on to play collegiately at the
University of Tulsa and was a two-time All-American and three-time
All-Missouri Conference selection.
Smith and the UI have a six-year agreement calling
for payments of $2 million annually for 2016 and 2017, $3 million for
2018, $4 million for 2019 and $5 million annually for both 2020 and
2021. He will have opportunities for performance
incentives tied to team academic and athletic achievements. Smith’s
appointment will be presented for UI Board of Trustee approval on March 16.
What They’re Saying …
“This is outstanding for the University of
Illinois. If anyone asked me to identify someone from the NFL who would
be great at coaching college football it would be Lovie Smith. He not
only brings football expertise, but will help young
men grow and have their best interest at heart. He is the type of coach
I would want my sons to play for if they were playing college football.
As an alum of the University of Minnesota, I’m not thrilled, but I’m
happy for Illinois. This is a sensational hire.
He’s going to have moms and dads very excited to have their sons play
for him and grow as people.”
n
Tony Dungy, Former NFL Head Coach
“Lovie is someone I’ve known through coaching for
almost 30 years. He’s an outstanding, thorough football coach, but more
importantly, he’s a sincere, true person. This is a great move for
Illinois. They’re getting a good man, both as a
coach and as a mentor of young men. He’s outstanding at both. He’ll
lead them in the right direction.”
n
Marvin Lewis, Head Coach, Cincinnati Bengals
“Lovie will do a great job. First, he’s a really
good person. The players will react to Lovie very well because he’ll
treat them right and with respect. Lovie is very smart and a very good
football coach. He’ll be terrific for the Fighting
Illini community. His familiarity with the state of Illinois and his
name recognition, especially in Chicago, will create excitement with
Illini fans and certainly be helpful in recruiting.”
n
Ron Turner, Head Coach, Florida International and Former Illinois Coach
Lovie Smith File and Coaching History
Hometown: Big Sandy, Texas
Family: Wife: MaryAnne Ford since November 1980; Children: Mikal, Matthew and Miles
DOB: May 8, 1958
Education: B.S., Tulsa, 1980
Playing Experience: Tulsa (1976-79)
2016 Illinois, Head Coach
2014-15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Head Coach (8-24)
2004-12 Chicago Bears, Head Coach (81-63)
2003 St. Louis Rams, Asst. Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator
2001-02 St. Louis Rams, Defensive Coordinator
1996-2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Linebackers
1995 Ohio State, Defensive Backs
1993-94 Tennessee, Defensive Backs
1992 Kentucky, Linebackers
1988-1991 Arizona State, Linebackers
1987 Wisconsin, Linebackers
1983-86 Tulsa, Linebackers
1981-82 Cascia Hall Prep HS (Tulsa, OK), Asst. Coach/DB/WR
1980 Big Sandy HS (Big Sandy, Texas), Defensive Coordinator
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