CHAMPAIGN — After the call came, Joey Boese was pumped up. Lift-the-car pumped up, which he could probably do.
It was new Illinois coach Lovie Smith, and he wanted Boese to join him in Champaign-Urbana as the head strength and conditioning coach.
“He told me his plan and asked me if I wanted to be a part of it,” Boese said. “I was extremely happy. The second that he offered me the job, I said ‘Yes’ within the next second. I couldn’t get ‘Yes’ out of my mouth fast enough.
“To me, it was just a no-brainer to be a part of this great university and to be a part of Coach Smith’s vision.