Jul 28, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini offensive tackle Simon Cvijanovic addresses the media during the Big Ten football media day at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
former player spoke out against Illinois coach Tim Beckman on Tuesday, one day after ex-Illini offensive lineman Simon Cvijanovic said he was forced to play through injuries and alleged that there was abuse and misuse of power in the program.
“When I was being recruited out of high school, I met a bunch of college coaches,” Dennis North, a defensive back from 2011 to 2014, told The Daily Illini. “Tim Beckman, man, he takes the cake as the worst coach I ever met.”
Like Cvijanovic, North felt he was pressured to play while injured, saying the coaching staff “forced him to continue to practice when he should have been doing light work,” the student newspaper reported.
North was recruited to Illinois by former coach Ron Zook and remained when Beckman was hired as his replacement.
“For two weeks I took a drug test every day,” North told The Daily Illini. “He was blatantly trying to find something to kick me off the team.”
Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas said Monday that an internal investigation would be conducted but that the results would not be made public. Beckman has not publicly commented on the allegations.
“I am disappointed that a former Fighting Illini player has chosen this path to air his concerns,” Beckman said in a statement. “I have been overwhelmed by the support show by student-athletes and the parents who are currently in our program, along with many former players. It is truly humbling. We’ll continue to treat the players in our program, current and former, like family as we continue to move forward.”
Cvijanovic, a three-year starter at tackle, lashed out against his former program and coach in a long series of tweets Sunday, alleging mistreatment after he sustained football-related injuries in 2013 and 2014.
Cvijanovic told the Chicago Tribune that he is considering legal action after his knee and shoulder injuries allegedly were mishandled by Beckman and the team’s athletic medical staff, damaging his chances at an NFL career.
In a statement Sunday night addressing Cvijanovic’s comments, Beckman said, “Simon Cvijanovic was a valued member of the University of Illinois football team. He chose to leave the team during the 2014 regular season and withdrew from the university before the end of the semester. Upon his return for the spring semester, we have continued to support him with medical care, an academic scholarship and academic advising. We cannot make any student accept our support.
“We wish him success in completing his degree, and we wish him the best of success in whatever he pursues after he graduates.”
