Former NFL coach Lovie Smith has been hired as the Illinois football coach, two days after the firing of Bill Cubit following a 5-7 season.
Smith was dismissed after two seasons as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January.
He led the Chicago Bears to the 2006 Super Bowl.
Smith becomes the school's first black head coach in football or men's basketball and says he is intent on making the Illini a Big Ten power.
Pending approval of university trustees, Smith has a six-year contract worth $21 million in salary.