Thursday’s column from CBS Chicago …
(CBS) Somewhere down in Champaign, there’s a wall.
And Tim Beckman’s back is up against it.
On Wednesday, as Illinois’ beleaguered second-year coach was readying his team for this weekend’s trip to West Lafayette (or, at least, we assume he was), Champaign News-Gazette columnist Loren Tate wrote that, “Even though the masses of Illini Nation don’t have a vote, there is a popular referendum ongoing whether Tim Beckman needs to defeat Purdue on Saturday to retain his job.”
The answer is: He doesn’t.
But if Beckman does indeed fail against the Boilermakers, then he sure as heck had better beat Northwestern at home the week after that.
Ever since Illinois football again tumbled into the abyss with the start of the Big Ten campaign – 20 consecutive losses, and perhaps counting – I’ve said that if Beckman wins just one conference game this season then I think that he’ll probably be back for a third go-round in 2014.
Continue reading at CBSChicago.com …