Beckman out at U of I
- Thread starter Bratwurst
- Start date
Apparently they found evidence of misleading on injuries and influencing medical decisions
Even tho I'm an Illinois grad (law school)and even tho I've never been of a fan of the team, this is a disaster for Illini football. There must have been some fire under all of that smoke.
Hey DKE Cat, maybe we can meet at a game this year.
Hey DKE Cat, maybe we can meet at a game this year.
Here's the full text of the press release, since their site's a little slow:
URBANA, Ill. – University of Illinois Director of Athletics Mike Thomas dismissed head football coach Tim Beckman on Friday, citing preliminary results of an external review into allegations involving the program.
Thomas said the timing is unfortunate with the season one week away. But based on preliminary findings, he said, it was in the best interests of student-athletes to act now rather than when a final report is issued and publicly released, which likely will occur during the season.
"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," Thomas said. "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."
Thomas said he has met with players and staff to inform them of the decision and reiterated that the health and well-being of student-athletes is the top priority throughout the athletic department's 21 programs.
During a preliminary briefing from the external reviewers, Thomas said he learned of efforts to deter injury reporting and influence medical decisions that pressured players to avoid or postpone medical treatment and continue playing despite injuries. He also said in some instances student-athletes were treated inappropriately with respect to whether they could remain on scholarship during the spring semester of their senior year if they weren't on the team.
"Both of those findings are unsettling violations of University policy and practice and do not reflect the culture that we wish to create in athletic programs for our young people," Thomas said. "I expect my coaches to protect players and foster their success on and off the field."
He said the review continues and a final report has not yet been issued. To date, more than 90 individuals have been interviewed by the Franczek Radelet law firm and 200,000 documents have been reviewed, along with a large volume of practice and game video from Beckman's three years as head coach.
Thomas said Bill Cubit, who joined the Illini coaching staff as offensive coordinator in 2013, has been named interim head coach for the 2015 season. The appointment will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval at their September 10 meeting. Thomas said the external review did not indicate any findings related to Coach Cubit.
Beckman will not receive the $3.1 million remaining on the last two years of his original five-year contract or the $743,000 called for if his contract had been bought out.
Beckman's record in three years as head coach was 12-25 overall, 4-20 in Big Ten Conference games. He led Illinois to the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl in December 2014.
URBANA, Ill. – University of Illinois Director of Athletics Mike Thomas dismissed head football coach Tim Beckman on Friday, citing preliminary results of an external review into allegations involving the program.
Thomas said the timing is unfortunate with the season one week away. But based on preliminary findings, he said, it was in the best interests of student-athletes to act now rather than when a final report is issued and publicly released, which likely will occur during the season.
"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," Thomas said. "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."
Thomas said he has met with players and staff to inform them of the decision and reiterated that the health and well-being of student-athletes is the top priority throughout the athletic department's 21 programs.
During a preliminary briefing from the external reviewers, Thomas said he learned of efforts to deter injury reporting and influence medical decisions that pressured players to avoid or postpone medical treatment and continue playing despite injuries. He also said in some instances student-athletes were treated inappropriately with respect to whether they could remain on scholarship during the spring semester of their senior year if they weren't on the team.
"Both of those findings are unsettling violations of University policy and practice and do not reflect the culture that we wish to create in athletic programs for our young people," Thomas said. "I expect my coaches to protect players and foster their success on and off the field."
He said the review continues and a final report has not yet been issued. To date, more than 90 individuals have been interviewed by the Franczek Radelet law firm and 200,000 documents have been reviewed, along with a large volume of practice and game video from Beckman's three years as head coach.
Thomas said Bill Cubit, who joined the Illini coaching staff as offensive coordinator in 2013, has been named interim head coach for the 2015 season. The appointment will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval at their September 10 meeting. Thomas said the external review did not indicate any findings related to Coach Cubit.
Beckman will not receive the $3.1 million remaining on the last two years of his original five-year contract or the $743,000 called for if his contract had been bought out.
Beckman's record in three years as head coach was 12-25 overall, 4-20 in Big Ten Conference games. He led Illinois to the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl in December 2014.
This sucks. It's not often a team gets exponentially better a week before the season. Illinois just did. Count that as an L on the schedule now
Sometimes one must do Whatever Is Necessary Today..........
This is frustrating. The silver lining, albeit thin, from the Hat Game last year was the prospect of more Beckman. On one level it's heartbreaking.
But, seriously, if the alleged issues around player safety are true, then he really did need to go and probably should find a different profession.
But, seriously, if the alleged issues around player safety are true, then he really did need to go and probably should find a different profession.
Considering Illinois BEAT Northwestern last year when NU had everything to play for with a bowl on the line and now the consensus is that Illinois is getting better because their dumb coach who beat NU is gone. That really isn't good news for this years NU team. Trash talking works a lot better when you actually back it up on the field.
I'll repost for you know it alls that just LOOOOOVE to point out last year whenever someone jokes about Beckman's ineptitude:
So? He lost the previous 2 years and has been absolutely shattered by Fitz in in-state recruiting, including for our starting quarterback and running back this coming year.
We lost last year, but that doesn't mean Beckman wasn't a bumbling fool who was good for NU short and long term.
I realize that - a lot of other people yucking it up though about who apparently was the worst coach in the history of college football getting fired (who happened to beat our team....ooops).
You know what they say, even a broken clock is right twice a day. Or as Adam Rittenberg said: "Only got to 6-6 by beating Northwestern team without its QB and only about 40 healthy players"
I'd call it pretty even head to head over the 3 years - 2 NU wins (1 by 3 points) and 1 U of I win with bowl games on the line, the most meaningful game of the three. I personally think his a bumpkin and horrible coach too - I just have a hard time beating my chest when the coach of the team I follow couldn't beat him. We do have that trophy case fully of recruiting victories though.
On the one hand you have to give the Illini a little credit for doing the right thing given the bad timing. On the other hand money is tight in Illinois and this is better than a buy out for them.
No one is beating their chest...people are just having a little bit of fun with some breaking news. I'll never understand why some "fans" are so quick to be negative about our school and team...as if that makes them more reasoned or smarter. Whatever.
We've lost to Zook and we've lost to Beckman. So shame on us. God knows it's no secret that Fitz and co still have work to do.
But I certainly don't think it's stupid to take the position that Beckman wasn't one of the coaches making that work a lot harder. And not everyone is a buzzkill either.
But I certainly don't think it's stupid to take the position that Beckman wasn't one of the coaches making that work a lot harder. And not everyone is a buzzkill either.
Dear God. How many f-ing times do we have to go over this. Yes, Illinois won the football game... however, NU had only 35 scholarship players active. Several like Vitale, Gibson, C Dickerson, Campbell, and T Jones were playing hurt. There's not a team in the country that would win a game with those type of injuries. So feel free to talk up Beckman and talk down your own team, but at least give the full story.
How is it this new guy has only 4 posts, but 2 likes already? Is he a wizard?
I'm gonna throw out PJ Fleck as a name that'd be a good hire for Illinois, at least on the recruiting trail
Evidently you are unaware that we had only 37 scholarship players available. We can't beat them 50-14( and it could have been worse) ever year.
Cubit is a much better coach than Beckmann!
Unfortunately for the Illini, Cubit reportedly is the one who talked Simon Cvjanovic (I know I butchered that, but... come on now... so many consonants!) off of his anti-depressants because he thought it would make him a better football player. Not a good move to fire one guy for pressuring players to play through injury to replace him with a guy that forced a player off of potentially life-saving medication.
If that allegation proves true (and damning as it sounds), I don't see how Mike Thomas survives naming him the interim head coach then either. Though Thomas' days are numbered anyway.
Medill90, brillant! We need a "Draft Weiss for Illinois" campaign. I'm sure that Notre Dame and Kansas will happily underwrite the cost.
Wow! This broke the Hyperbole meter...pushing the needle way past the 'bullshit' range. Cut down on the horrible fumbles and pick-6 and we would have won the game. Illinois only had about 40-45 scholarship players active for that game (if you don't include redshirt freshmen, which you appear to be doing). The game came down to which team had the best back-up QB.
It wasn't Bill Cubit. I think it was Blakeney, but I am not near my Wildcat library to verify this.
Is anyone else hoping that Penn State sends 8 coaches to Champaign to try to scoop up some players?
Maybe if Shuler was in, Prater was in, Dickerson wasn't playing hurt, Vitale wasn't playing hurt, and Tony Jones wasn't playing hurt and all 3 were limited in the game, then Oliver would've had an easier time. There's a lot more to it. Also, we had no secondary. We moved Hall to safety, a backup safety to CB. Think that was a reason why Illinois's back up QB looked "better." No let's dismiss those faces and say Beckman owns Fitz and Illinois was on the rise.
Only other teams I've seen with injury issues that bad were Notre Dame last season (suspension issues too). They closed out the season losing their last 5 games. When they got healthy in the Bowl game they beat LSU. The other is Florida in 2013. They lost their last 7 including a game to the mighty Georgia Southern.
So there is no hyperbole. No team can win without 60% of their players. (58.8% to be more exact)
I am sure Fleck will be at the top of their list. Cubit is an immediate upgrade, but doubt he will be the permanent HC. Sorry to see Beckman go.
Yeah, they reviewed that NU game where he got hit running up the sideline and concluded he continued to coach with an injury.
Illinois had just about as many injuries, but their 2nd string QB was better than ours and they won. They also played much harder than we did, too. Do you have an excuse for not playing hard?
Similar threads
