The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Weber will accept job at Illinois

Bruce Weber will travel to Champaign today to accept the head coaching job at Illinois, multiple sources, including new recruit Jamal Tatum, told the Daily Egyptian late Tuesday night.

Assistant coach Chris Lowery said he would not confirm that Weber would be leaving when contacted late Tuesday night, but Weber, when intercepted outside the SIU Arena, said he had just had a meeting with his players to discuss his departure.

SIU Athletic Director Paul Kowalczyk could not be reached and neither could the players.

SIU Media Services Director Tom Weber could not confirm that Weber was leaving, but did not deny it either.

"It's an Illinois issue, not an SIU issue and we're not going to speculate on what they're going to do, but I will say that if I thought your information was wrong and inaccurate, I'd let you know," Weber told the Daily Egyptian late Tuesday.

Illinois Sports Information Director Kent Brown would not confirm it, either, saying only that they will not confirm anything until they call a press conference, which has been set for some time today.

But the recruits coming to SIU were willing to talk.

"I don't know what to say. I am shocked," said recruit Randal Falker. "I have mixed emotions. I am happy for him, but I am sort of mad. I don't really have anger because I know what he is doing. I can't blame him for taking that sort of raise."

Tatum said he was contacted by Weber late Tuesday night. Weber told Tatum, among other things, that he is rooting for Matt Painter to take over the job at SIU.

"I said good luck and told him he'd do good," Tatum said. "I am going to rethink my letter of intent. I am going to have to wait to see who the new coach will be. He said Painter might take over. He is trying to pull for him.

"I never really expected this."

Painter met with Kowalczyk at the Arena very late Tuesday night.

Reporter Michael Brenner can be reached at

mbrenner@dailyegyptian.com

Several reporters contributed to this story.