2011 Illinois Fighting Illini football team saw the firing of head coach Ron Zook in which he was replaced by Vic Koenning as the interim head coach and finally by Tim Beckman as their new permanent head coach.
The Fighting Illini, who were led during the regular season by seventh-year head coach Ron Zook, are members of the Big Ten Conference in the Legends Division and played their home games at Memorial Stadium. Zook was fired after the team lost the final six games of its regular season. Defensive coordinator Vic Koenning was appointed as interim head coach led the team in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. On December 9, Illinois hired Tim Beckman as their new permanent head coach. 
