For the second time in less than a week, Tim Beckman has watched a member of his Illinois coaching staff exit the building.
The latest to leave is Billy Gonzales, who the Champaign News-Gazette reports is bolting the football program for a job with another. Just where that new opportunity is wasn’t made clear by the paper, although a move to either Wisconsin or Utah is very much a possibility.
Gonzales spent the 2012 season as Beckman’s co-offensive coordinator. In mid-January, former Western Michigan head coach Bill Cubit was hired as offensive coordinator.
Prior to his one year with the Illini, Gonzales spent two seasons as LSU’s wide receivers coach. New Badgers coach Gary Andersen still has an opening for a receivers coach on his UW staff, leading to the speculation connecting Gonzales to Madison.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Gonzales might be a possibility for a job at Utah as well. Former Arizona State head coach Dennis Erickson confirmed earlier in the week that he had interviewed with the Utes as well.
As for Beckman’s staff turnover, North Carolina officially announced the hiring of Keith Gilmore as defensive line coach three days ago. Gilmore had spent the past four seasons coaching that group at Illinois.
(Photo credit: Illinois athletics)