The University of Illinois has extended head coach Lovie Smith through the 2023 season.
Smith came to Champaign in 2016 following a long career as a head coach in the NFL with the Bears and Buccaneers. He has just completed year three of a six-year, 21 million dollar contract he signed to become the head man at Illinois.
The 60-year-old has gone 9-27 in three seasons with the Fighting Illini, with 2018 being his best season as the Illini finished 4-8.
The move does not make a whole lot of sense from the outside looking in but the Illini have not had any kind of stability in recent years, going through five head coaches this decade.
#Illini Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced today a two-year contract extension for Head Football Coach Lovie Smith to keep Smith at Illinois through the 2023 football season.https://t.co/jaLiubLXQJ
— Illini Football (@IlliniFootball) November 25, 2018
