Just a day after Illinois finished the 2018 season with a close loss to Northwestern, the university announced a 2-year extension for head coach Lovie Smith.

The extension was noticed by many, including Illinois commit and Duncanville (Texas) four-star athlete Marquez Beason.

Beason has always had a close connection with the Illini head coach. So when the extension was announced, the No. 91 ranked player nationally was thrilled to see Illinois Athletic Director Josh Whitman give his future coach a vote of confidence.