While it's anyone's guess who'll replace the ousted Mike Thomas, this much is known: Illinois' next athletic director will be charged with rebuilding a department that trails its Big Ten peers in most meaningful measurements.
The football coach was fired a week before a season that's expected to end today in Chicago. Men's basketball got off to its roughest start in modern history.
On the field, Illinois' moneymaking sports haven't competed for a Big Ten title in a decade. Off it, Illinois ranks 10th out of 13 public schools in athletic revenue, its $76.9 million in 2014 well off the league median of $104.