Former Illinois Offensive Lineman Accuses Coach of Forcing Him to Play With Injured Knee
BySimon Cvijanovic spent several hours Sunday night posting a series of tweets accusing his former football coach at the University of Illinois of pushing injured players to play hurt.
The former Fighting Illini offensive lineman first posted around 5 p.m. ET, saying he had to quit playing football due to "physical health." He then indicated Tim Beckman, Illinois' head football coach, ran him and other hurt players out on the field despite any injuries. His last post was shortly after 2:30 a.m.
I stopped playing football because of my physical health. I was asked to push myself past pain until I didn't want to play anymore. #truth
— Simon Cvijanović (@IlliniSi) May 10, 2015
According to ESPN, Cvijanovic hurt his shoulder and knee in 2013 and 2014, but it was psychological issues stemming from the injuries that forced him to stop playing football.
Cvijanovic said in one post he decided to go public with his claims because he was not invited to the Illini's senior banquet and later confronted Beckman with the matter. He cited honors such as starting four years, being named a team media rep at the Big Ten media days and earning two game MVP honors before alleging Beckman labeled him a "quitter."
I met w @coachbeckman this Friday and was kicked out of his office cuz he couldn't answer y I wasn't invited to the senior banquet. — Simon Cvijanović (@IlliniSi) May 10, 2015
I met w @coachbeckman this Friday and was kicked out of his office cuz he couldn't answer y I wasn't invited to the senior banquet.
— Simon Cvijanović (@IlliniSi) May 10, 2015
In one tweet, Cvijanovic said the team had a head trainer named Toby Harkins who was not a licensed professional. Though Harkins was apparently fired, the alleged mistreatment of current and former players continued, Cvijanovic said.
Toby Harkins worked for months as our head trainer and was not a licensed medical professional in the state of Illinois. He was fired. — Simon Cvijanović (@IlliniSi) May 10, 2015
As the Champaign Room noted, other Illini players responded to Cvijanovic series of tweets with some supporting his claims and others defending Beckman.
Cvijanovic also has a brother who is committed to Illinois for football. When someone asked why his family would allow their son to play for such a coach, Cvijanovic said he was under the impression Beckman would be losing his job.
We didn't think he was getting his job back. #tbh https://t.co/896YfNUEfg
— Simon Cvijanović (@IlliniSi) May 11, 2015
Beckman responded to the allegations in a statement from the Illinois athletic department, but it is unclear if these allegations will lead to an investigation.
"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," the coach said. "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."