November 9, 201510 yr Brian Bennett @BennettESPN 6m6 minutes ago Illinois has fired AD Mike Thomas. Releasing results of independent investigation into athletic department at noon ET
November 9, 201510 yr Good Riddance. The report must be bad. Edit: Or not so bad (I see that the statement says the firing is "without cause"). Edited November 9, 201510 yr by PlaySumFnJurny
November 9, 201510 yr Thank you, Jesus. The school couldn't let him hire another coach. Edited November 9, 201510 yr by AustinIllini
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (PlaySumFnJurny @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 10:13 AM) Good Riddance. The report must be bad. Edit: Or not so bad (I see that the statement says the firing is "without cause"). Regardless of what their press report says, I think we can all assume it was the report that did him in. It's no coincidence they're releasing it today. They probably just agreed to pay his severance package rather than have another court case.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (gatnom @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 09:25 AM) What awful timing. This couldn't have been done a couple months ago? I don't think it matters. It sounds like the school did some actual due diligence and handled the situation just fine. Time to start looking at AD candidates.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 09:28 AM) I don't think it matters. It sounds like the school did some actual due diligence and handled the situation just fine. Time to start looking at AD candidates. It matters because football coaches start getting hired in about a month.
November 9, 201510 yr Author Here is the full report for those of you who don't want to work on a Monday morning: http://illinois.edu/resources/FR_Athletic_...c_11-9-2015.pdf
November 9, 201510 yr Ugh, this timing...such an Illinois thing to do. We better have a good idea of who can take over, as mentioned our next FB hire is coming up quickly.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 09:25 AM) Regardless of what their press report says, I think we can all assume it was the report that did him in. It's no coincidence they're releasing it today. They probably just agreed to pay his severance package rather than have another court case. Yeah, I wouldn't be too sure of that holding up down state.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 09:32 AM) Ugh, this timing...such an Illinois thing to do. We better have a good idea of who can take over, as mentioned our next FB hire is coming up quickly. I don't think I know a U of I alum that didn't think he needed to be fired months ago. Apparently the report says he committed no misconduct, which is probably what just about everyone figured before. But when this stuff does happen underneath you, and it is occurring with people you hire who have had similar incidents at other places, it does show while he was on the up and up, he was pretty incompetent. Now they can move on. I do think this puts a little more pressure on Groce, but if they do fine, he should be alright.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 10:42 AM) Yeah, I wouldn't be too sure of that holding up down state. He seems okay with it. I think there would have been harsh words from both sides if this was going to court.
November 9, 201510 yr Author QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 09:46 AM) He seems okay with it. I think there would have been harsh words from both sides if this was going to court. I'd be OK if I was due a $2,500,000 buyout in the next 60 days.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 09:46 AM) He seems okay with it. I think there would have been harsh words from both sides if this was going to court. I mean the payout of a severance for a guy who was fired. Rauner and company have been stopping them down state. They are the ones who write the checks. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150922/news/150929718/
November 9, 201510 yr Cubit and all other assistants are cleared of any wrong doing as well. It was all Beckman. So that's good at least.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (gatnom @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 09:29 AM) It matters because football coaches start getting hired in about a month. Maybe, but Illinois is at the bottom of the pecking order for coaches, so timing matters less.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 10:39 AM) Maybe, but Illinois is at the bottom of the pecking order for coaches, so timing matters less. Being able to go hard after someone like Babers early can make all the difference.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 11:39 AM) Maybe, but Illinois is at the bottom of the pecking order for coaches, so timing matters less. That'd make it matters more, not less. That said I'm just glad Thomas is gone.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 10:39 AM) Maybe, but Illinois is at the bottom of the pecking order for coaches, so timing matters less. Once again a terrible time to have a coaching vacancy. Illinois could have hit a homerun last season and hired Tom Herman.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 10:22 AM) Cubit and all other assistants are cleared of any wrong doing as well. It was all Beckman. So that's good at least. What they all were guilty of, was not reporting it. The defense that they were unaware is pretty weak. It is a tough one because their employment status is/was probably closely tied to Beckman's. Edited November 9, 201510 yr by Dick Allen
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (RockRaines @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 11:51 AM) Once again a terrible time to have a coaching vacancy. Illinois could have hit a homerun last season and hired Tom Herman. Nah the candidate pool is deep and good. Better than it was a year ago. It's a good time for a vacancy.
November 9, 201510 yr QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Nov 9, 2015 -> 11:52 AM) Nah the candidate pool is deep and good. Better than it was a year ago. It's a good time for a vacancy. The openings are much better.
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