Illini Officially Announce Beckman As New Coach

(CBS) The University of Illinois officially announced the hiring of Tim Beckman in a statement released Friday afternoon.

Beckman joins Illinois after three years as head coach at Toledo, where he led the Rockets to two bowl appearances and a Mid-American Conference West Division co-championship. He is 21-16 in three seasons at Toledo, including a 14-2 record in conference play over the last two seasons.

"I am very excited to introduce Tim Beckman as the new head football coach at the University of Illinois," Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas said in the statement. "He brings an impressive resume to Illinois and is highly regarded within the entire coaching community. Coach Beckman sold me on his vision for Illinoisfootball 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."