Six game skid costs Zook his job.

   

 

CHAMPAIGN—After starting the 2011 season with six straight victories and being ranked, Illinois lost its final six games of the season to finish at 6-6 and the collapse has cost head coach Ron Zook his job. Zook was fired on Sunday morning. The school made it official with a release on Sunday afternoon.
“I assessed the entire program and felt that it was time for a change in leadership,” said Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas in a release.

“It is imperative that our program shows some consistency and competes for championships, and I think a change in coaches can help us get there sooner. I wasn’t here seven years ago when Ron Zook took over as coach, but it’s clear the program is in better shape than what he inherited. I believe we need new leadership to take the program to the level to compete for championships on a consistent basis. This is an extremely competitive conference, and we are determined to go head-to-head with the very best.”

Current Illinois defensive coordinator Vic Koenning has been named as the team’s interim head coach.Zook spent seven seasons with Illinois, going 34-51 in that span. The high point of his time in Champaign came in 2007 when the Illini finished the season 9-4 and went to the Rose Bowl and lost to USC. Illinois’ only other bowl appearance under Zook came last season when it beat Baylor in the Texas Bowl.