USADSI has decided to go with the plan to remove its coach from Lowe Smith, Illinois on Sunday. Smith has just finished his fifth season as coach Illini, and athletics director Josh Whitman has been formally relieved of his duties. Whitman said a “national search to identify Coach Smith’s successor would begin immediately. Smith will not be coaching Illinois’ final game this season. Smith did not play for rent as Illinois expected when he brought the longtime NFL head coach and nine-year head of the Chicago Pierce to the Illinois Champaign. Football program. Smith went 17-39 in five seasons with a trophy appearance in the Big Ten game with a score of 10-33, ending the loss at the 2019 Red Box Cup 6-7 in the season. Illinois never finished with Smith’s five-season winning Big Ten record and finished last twice (2017, 2018) in the Big Ten West division. The 28-10 defeat to state rival Northwest on Saturday could be the final straw as it brought home frustration as Illinois fans failed to beat the Smith Wild Gates. Illinois lost six games in the series. Pat Fitzgerald has lost to Illinois only four times since 2006, and those three losses went to Ron Juke. Illinois has expectations that it wants to be against the rest of the Big Ten, but it’s hard to live up to those expectations when you continue to have a failed finish against your state rival. Now, Illini will embark on a training quest in the hope of finding a man who can turn its fortunes around.