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If you were one of those Illini fans keeping your fingers crossed, lighting candles and praying to any possible god that would listen to you that Tim Beckman was going to get fired, well, sit down. I've got some bad news for you.
According to Mike Thomas in an interview with WCIA's Matt Wettersten, Beckman will be back next season.
I just finished an interview with #Illini AD Mike Thomas. He told me Tim Beckman will return as coach next season.
— Matt Wettersten (@WCIA3Matt) December 2, 2013
And this shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody. Maybe the Illini didn't show as much improvement this season as you'd have like to see, but unless the team got worse or just stayed as bad as last year with another disaster of a season, there was simply no way Beckman was going to be let go.
The school doesn't want another ex-coach on its payroll at the moment.
Of course, just because Beckman will be back doesn't mean his entire staff will return. Tim Banks watch rages on, but it's important to remember that Chris Beatty wasn't fired until January last season. So whatever decision will be made on Banks isn't guaranteed to happen any time soon.
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