Illinois names Bill Cubit head coach, signs two-year extension

Illinois signed interim head coach Bill Cubit to a two-year extension Saturday, making him the Illini’s head coach.

Illinois has landed their man. On Saturday, it was announced that interim head coach Bill Cubit had been promoted his interim tab removed and was named the team’s head coach, signing a two-year deal hours before the Illini take on the No. 17 Northwestern Wildcats in the season finale per a report from Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune.

He will be paid $1.2 million per season, giving him some stability after operating the entire season on an interim basis.

Interim chancellor Barbara Wilson had high praise of Cubit, crediting him with keeping his composure despite the difficult circumstances he met, given the program was in flux.

“During the past three months, Coach Cubit has led this team with a steady and experienced hand,” Wilson said in a statement. “He has earned respect and appreciation from all of us. This move will allow the permanent Athletics Director to evaluate the program at his or her own schedule and make decisions based on those evaluations once that search is completed.”

He first joined the staff in January of 2013, taking on the role of offensive coordinator. He then was promoted to head coach in August after Tim Beckman was fired following findings that he had mistreated players’ injuries and acted inappropriately.

Cubit has shown that he is capable of leading a program. He has a career record of 90-70-1 and took Western Michigan to three bowl games from 2005-12, going 51-46 during his time there.

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He has taken an Illinois program that was in shambles and brought it back to respectability in a short amount of time. It will be exciting to see what he can do in year two.