Reports: Southern Illinois to promote Hill to coach

(STATS) - Nick Hill has served as Southern Illinois' interim head coach since Dale Lennon was fired after the season. He may soon get promoted to the top job at his alma mater.

Reports suggest the Missouri Valley Football Conference program will announce the 30-year-old Hill as its coach Wednesday. The Salukis' co-offensive coordinator this year, Hill was named the interim coach Dec. 1, one day after Lennon was dismissed following a 3-8 campaign.

Southern Illinois did not announce a hiring Tuesday, but WSIL-TV in Carterville and later FootballScoop reported Hill would be the Salukis' choice.

Hill was a two-year starter at quarterback for the Salukis and earned first-team all-conference honors as a senior in 2007, when he helped them advance to the FCS national semifinals in a 12-2 season.

He was the coach at Carbondale High School in 2013 and then moved across town to join the SIU staff as the quarterbacks coach in 2014.

This season, SIU senior Mark Iannotti was the all-MVFC quarterback under Hill's tutelage.

Lennon had a 51-42 record in eight seasons.