Illinois fires head coach Bill Cubit

Illinois has fired head coach Bill Cubit after one season in the position, the school announced Saturday.

Cubit guided the Fighting Illini to a 5-7 record after taking over for Tim Beckman, who was fired shortly before the 2015 campaign. The 62-year-old had his interim tag removed in late November but new athletic director Josh Whitman ultimately decided to make a change.

"I appreciate the leadership that Bill Cubit provided our football program during what has been, unquestionably, a very tumultuous time," Whitman said in a statement. "He accepted the challenge on an interim basis under incredibly difficult and unusual circumstances, and he has continued to work diligently for the betterment of our student-athletes. Through his efforts, he has kept the program moving forward.

"Bill is a good man and a good football coach. All of us in the Illini Nation owe him a debt of gratitude for his work leading our team these last months. At this juncture, however, I think it is most important that we position our program for long-term success by creating a more stable environment for the coaches, players, and prospective student-athletes."

Illinois has also dismissed offensive coordinator Ryan Cubit.

It was a tumultuous season for Illinois as Beckman was fired after an investigation into allegations he deterred injury reporting, tried to influence medical decisions, and treated student-athletes inappropriately. Former Illini athletic director Mike Thomas was fired following the investigation as well.

Whitman noted he wants to hire a new coach as soon as possible, but the majority of top candidates have already been scooped up by other programs.

Illinois will be hoping to turn things around after suffering through four straight losing seasons.