Former NFL head coach Herm Edwards visits, talks to Fighting Illini

Illinois football hasn’t had much success in recent years. With that, came a coaching change over this past off-season.

The Fighting Illini hired former NFL head coach Lovie Smith to right the ship. Smith is most known in the NFL for his work with the Chicago Bears, so the hire seemed to make geographical sense.

On Tuesday night, Smith brought one of his friends from the NFL level to talk to his student-athletes.

Herm Edwards checking out today's #Illini practice. pic.twitter.com/aTXByj05z3

— Illini Football (@IlliniFootball) October 25, 2016

Great to see my good friend Herm Edwards in Champaign! Speaking tonight to the Illini Family! Blessed to have him here! #Illini pic.twitter.com/iC3OuFUmyl

— Lovie Smith (@LovieSmith) October 25, 2016

Proud 2 welcome NFL great & coaching icon Herman Edwards to @IlliniAthletics, speaking 2nite to our student-athletes! pic.twitter.com/Q6MfykXurD

— Josh Whitman (@IlliniAD) October 26, 2016

Edwards believes highly in the current Fighting Illini head coach.

Herm Edwards: "If your family has a young child, he's a football player and Lovie Smith is recruiting him, send him to Illinois."

— Jeremy Werner (@JWernerScout) March 8, 2016

Smith has a long way to go in turning around Illinois’ program, but having former NFL coaches stop by to check out practice and chat with your players can’t hurt.

The Fighting Illini are currently 2-5 overall and face Minnesota at 11 a.m. CST on Saturday at home. The game will be televised on either BTN or BTN2.