Tim Banks To Return?

So it sounds like Tim Banks may be getting another year at the helm of the Illinois defense. Whilst the Illini basketball team was in the midst of collapsing against Georgia Tech on Tuesday night, Jeremy Fowler unleashed this news upon us.

Hearing Illinois coach Tim Beckman leaning toward no staff changes to keep continuity.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerCBS) December 4, 2013

Now, granted, there's a big difference between Beckman saying "there won't be any staff changes" and Beckman "leaning toward no staff changes." So this doesn't necessarily mean that Tim Banks will be back next year -- and truth be told the Illini may lose a member of their staff to another school based on some whispers going around -- but it certainly makes it more likely in my eyes.

Simply put, Beckman doesn't really gain anything by saying he's leaning toward bringing everybody back if he wasn't planning on doing so.

Now, I know that there's a chance Beckman just couldn't find anybody who wanted the job, so Banks is returning because of it, but from what I've heard that wasn't the case. Word is that Beckman believes the key to the defense improving next season will be that so many members of it will return a year older and with a year's worth of experience under their belt. And, he just might be right.

I know I hope he's right. If Tim Banks is back next year, I hope he shows us all we were wrong and this defense helps lead the Illini to a winning season.

Because if it doesn't odds are Banks won't be the only member of this staff looking for a job next winter.

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