One week before opening the 2015 season on September 4, Illinois has fired head football coach Tim Beckman.
University of Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas announced Friday that Beckman was being dismissed following an internal investigation into the well-being of student-athletes:
The preliminary information external reviewers shared with me does not reflect our values or our commitment to the welfare of our student-athletes, and I've chosen to act accordingly. During the review, we have asked people not to rush to judgment, but I now have enough information to make this decision in assessing the status and direction of the football program.