Tim Beckman will return as Illinois football coach

It wasn't a banner first year for Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Tim Beckman. Illinois went just 2-10 on the season and didn't win a game in conference play, finishing last in the Leaders division. Their closest loss in conference was by a field goal to the Purdue Boilermakers and their scoring average per game was among the lowest among all FBS teams.

Despite the subpar season, Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas says Beckman will be back for the 2013 campaign. Illinois started the 2011 season by going 6-0 before losing their final six regular-season games and seeing former head coach Ron Zook fired before a win over the UCLA Bruins in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Illinois' only two wins this season came in September over the Western Michigan Broncos and the Charleston Southern Buccaneers. The Fighting Illini scored more than 20 points just three times this year.

Beckman came to Illinois after coaching the Toledo Rockets for three seasons.