Wednesday was a rough day for coach Lovie Smith and the Illinois Fighting Illini, especially at the quarterback position.

Jeff George Jr. announced he was going to be a graduate transfer and play his final two years of eligibility elsewhere.

Then, later in the evening, fellow QB Chayce Crouch revealed that he was going to retire from football, as you can see in the tweet below:

Crouch appeared in six games for the Illini in 2017, throwing for 443 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions.

He and George shared the backup spot after freshman Cameron Thomas took over the starting job midway through the season.

Now it’s Thomas’s job to lose in 2018, as the Illini have lost their experienced depth behind him.