Illinois has hired Toledo's Tim Beckman as its football coach. "He brings an impressive resume to Illinois and is highly regarded within the entire coaching community," director of athletics Mike Brown said in a statement. "Coach Beckman sold me on his vision for Illinois football throughout the interview process. He is a proven recruiter, has worked alongside some of the nation's top coaches, will have high standards for academic and athletic success, and is a great fit for the Fighting Illini." Beckman replaces Ron Zook, who was fired late last month after seven seasons. Illinois was 6-6 when Zook was fired and had lost six straight. The Illini are headed to the Dec. 31 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against UCLA. Read more: http://espn.go.com/chicago/ncf/stor...-illini-hire-toledo-rockets-coach-tim-beckman
