Big Ten Media Day: Ron Zook Interview

(This interview originally appeared in www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

What are we going to see in Juice Williams when he takes the field this fall?

You’re going to see improvement, you’re going to see a guy ready to take the next step.

What kind of improvement is the defense going to bring this year?

Anytime you’re in your second or third year, you expect to get better, you gotta be more consistent. We talk a lot about taking the next step, how its just the natural progression of where you’re supposed to be as you develop.

How do you recruit to Illinois?

There’s no reason we shouldn’t be just as great as everyone else. We’ve got great academics, a great conference, and all that stuff, but mostly, your players are your best ambassadors. We’re selling the same thing everyone else is selling: happiness. We’re all selling things you can’t see. You can’t see education, you can’t see a degree, you can’t see happiness.

You mentioned yesterday that you were concerned about the text message ban because it would be very easy for someone to impersonate a coach in a text message. Is that a serious concern for you?

Well I don’t know if it seriously concerns me, but its something the people making decisions should think about, its part of the issue they have to deal with. People saying whatever the want. If you take away texting, it’s not going to be a huge change, people are still going to find a way to do whatever they need to do to contact recruits.

How has the internet changed recruiting? For better or worse?

I think that because of the net, because of all the exposure, it’s so much faster, it’s a bit scarier for parents, and probably for athletes too, there’s so much more information out there, it’s harder to figure out who they can believe, and what’s right and wrong, and who says which guys is the best.

How do you evaluate talent?

We always start off looking at three things. First, can this person help us reach our goal. Second, is this person going to graduate from the University of Illinois. Third, what is the character of this person, and that’s probably the most important, and then we go from there.

Is the NFL’s new conduct policy and the crackdown on “bad behavior” going to change the way college coaches recruit and the type of individuals they go after?

Most of the people that I’ve been recruiting and the people that I know recruit, everyone’s trying to recruit good individuals already, but with some of these other issues coming up more and more it’s all going to be come more PR conscious.

How important are facilities in helping you recruit kids?

They’re somewhat important, and to some it might be more important. Here we are at Illinois getting ready to be the best in the country until someone else builds something better and bigger. But the #1 thing is people, if you’re not happy, the facilities don’t matter. One thing I always tell kids is ‘forget about that stadium out there.’ If that all goes away, would you still want to be here?

Big Ten Media Day: J Leman Interview

(This interview originally appeared in www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

How was the transition for you from Coach Turner to Coach Zook?

You always want to stay with the coach that recruited you, Coach Turner was a great guy, but he’s landed on his feet well with the Bears. It was hard at first, but we’ve really taken to Coach Zook.

What’s the goal for this season?

We want to finish in the upper echelon of the Big Ten. Those spots aren’t reserved for Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin. We’ve got just as much a right to it as anyone else, we want to go get it.

What’s the toughest roadtrip in the conference?

Happy Valley. You fly up going over those mountains, and you’re just thinking ‘where is this little town in the middle of the mountains.’ It’s a tough place to play.

Who’s the toughest player you’ve ever gone up against in the Big Ten?

From Wisconsin, Joe Thomas. No doubt about it.

What player or school talks more than their share of trash?

Michigan State likes to talk it a little bit.

How do you know Coach Zook is mad at you?

When he comes over and steps on your foot and starts shouting at you, gets right up in your face and shouts at you. Actually, take out that part about stepping on people’s foot, he’s not abusive or anything. Just gets right on top of you to make sure you’re listening.

What kind of impact has Lou Hernandez had on you guys?

A huge huge impact. We’ve got about 40 guys that can power clean 300 pounds now, which is a huge improvement. He just pushes guys beyond what they think they can do.

How much time do you get to yourself in the offseason?

Not much. You get a week after Christmas, and find a little time here and there, but other than that – not much.

What’s your scene away from the football field?

I like to relax and do some fishing. I go to this little lake called St. Joe’s lake where I can do a little fishing.

Big Ten Media Day: Martin O'Donnell Interview

(This interview originally appeared in www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

Is there more pressure this year with the incoming recruiting class and all the national attention because of that?

There’s just as much pressure this season or any other season, and there’s pressure on every single team at the division one level, there are always expectations. What’s different is the excitement level – that’s different. The excitement in the fans, and community. Just the fact that we’ve sold more season tickets than we have here in awhile is exciting. No one wants to pay in an empty stadium.

Who’s the toughest single competitor you expect to up against this year?

We’re trying to look at Missouri right now. I don’t pick on individual players, every defense in this league wants to go out and hit you in the mouth. We’re not really thinking about anything other than Missouri right now. I don’t even pay attention to names anyway, mostly just numbers.

What’s your favorite road trip in the conference?

Happy Valley, Ohio State, every stadium really, there’s just something about this conference.

What’s the toughest place to play?

Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio State. Penn State has to be in there too.

What player or team talks more than their share of trash?

I don’t really know how much stuff of that goes on, I’ve never experienced anything too bad.

How do you know when Coach Zook is mad at you?

When it looks like his head is about to explode. He’s just full of energy all the time, so when his jaw gets clenched, and he gets really red, you just start to worry.

How’s the chemistry been between this heralded recruiting class and you older guys?

The chemistry’s been good. Guys like Regis Benn have come in eager to learn and all those guys know that the older guys hold the key, the know the schemes, that type of thing. They know what’s going on.

What are the goals for this year? What has to happen for you to say: this was a successful year?

We’re all going to be really disappointed if we’re not playing in a bowl game. We just have to go. Its not really written down, its just time to get going. Just gotta go. We’ve had great recruiting classes, not we want people to talk about us during the season, and not just in the offseason. And the coaches, every single one of them wants to win as bad as we do.

Big Ten Media Day: Chris Norvell Interview

(This interview originally appeared in www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

Where’s your favorite place to play in the conference?

Wisconsin and Ohio State definitely, they’re really hostile, I like playing there a lot.

Who’s the toughest player or scheme you’ve gone up against?

Purdue, definitely. They like to throw the ball so much.

How do you know Coach Zook is mad at you?

Well, he runs up right in your ear and starts yelling at you. It’s pretty easy to tell.

What do you do to relax off the field?

A lot of guys on the time like to play X-box, so we’ll play Halo 2 against each other from our separate rooms.

How much free time do you get in the offseason?

There’s school and class for two-plus hours, you also have to lift, run, then the big guys lift at 3, so during the day there’s no free time. Then you gotta eat lunch, then do position work after that. So, there’s not a lot of free time.

What kind of impact as Lou Hernandez had at Illinois?

Lou is a great coach. Right when he came in we started getting better and stronger. We’ve got 35 or 36 guys that can power clean 310, that’s a pretty good number.

How does he do it?

Basically what he does is working hand in hand with the players, pushing us.

Are you impressed with the new guys coming in, the highly touted recruiting class?

We’ve got some youngsters coming in that are very mature for their age. Jacques Brent is showing a lot of strength and he’s already really mature.They all want to live up to all the hype, that’s all we care about.

How do you think Coach Zook continues to deliver this talent to Illinois?

He just sells the university – University of Illinois is a great place, and he sells it.

What’s the key to improvement this year?

We need to be more consistent, and cut down on the mental breakdowns. That’s it.

Wednesday's Almost Here

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

Qunicy (Ill.) Notre Dame offensive tackle Jack Cornell verbally committed to Ron Zook's Fighting Illini program in December. The 6-foot-7 two-time all-stater had previously committed to Michigan State before that staff was fired at the end of the 2006. Cornell talks about signing with Illinois in this ready to sign update.

"I can't wait for Wednesday. We will have something at my school for everyone when I sign."

"The whole recruiting process, it was stressful at times but really I enjoyed it most of the time. After the staff at Michigan State was let go, it got more stressful but I narrowed things down to three schools real quick so I didn't have to deal with a bunch of other schools coming in and asking for visits and my time to talk about their school. But I met a lot of great coaches and great guys at each school I visited, overall, I enjoyed the whole process."

And after John L. Smith was let go, why Illinois? "Really, Coach Zook, Coach Sims, Coach Warinner all were coaches that stood out for me. I had gotten to know them, trusted them and they were behind me. I really trusted all of them and they were honest, no gray areas and I appreciated that. My family especially appreciated that. No big promises, it was the 'we are building this program back up and we want guys from the state of Illinois to be that foundation' and that sounded good to me."

Fellow Illini commitment Mike Garrity and Cornell became friends on their official visit to Champaign in December. "Yeah, Mike is a great guy. It's going to be sweet playing on the line with him for four or five years. I made a couple of good friends when I camped at Michigan State but when those guys were fired, we wanted to play together but once that happened, I decided I had to do what was best for me and move. But meeting Garrity on my visit, we were friends pretty quickly, got along great. I also talk to Arrelious Benn a lot, I am looking forward to blocking for him at Illinois."

Any specific position at Illinois the coaches have talked about Cornell playing on the line? "They say that my athleticism means I can play anywhere on the line. I want to come in to camp and compete to see where I am at. If they want me to play, fine, if they want me to redshirt, fine. I just want to come in and work my ass off and improve, win some games at Illinois."

Thoughts on the Illini football recruiting class of 2007? "I think it's special to be a part of this class that so many are rating highly. But my goal is to compete in the top twenty nationally on the field not just on the Rivals rankings or whoever is ranking that stuff. I want to go out and help prove that ranking on the field. Coach Zook talks about all of us being the best we can be and going out on the field and winning games, that's the bottom line."

First Commit of 2006

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

6-foot-5, 275-pound Batavia (Ill.) lineman Mike Garrity was the first 2007 prospect to verbally commit to Ron Zook's program last summer. He than went out and had an all-state fall and lead his high school team to the Class 6A title game in Champaign. Get the latest in Garrity in this report from the Orange&Blue News.

Garrity's thoughts on the recruiting process? "It was a little bit of both fun and stressful, fun going through it, meeting everyone and seeing colleges. I loved doing that but had all these coaches asking me what I was going to do? It got kind fo stressful there so I am happy I made my decision for Illinois early. I don't know that I could have gone through all that during the fall, I was glad I was able to concentrate on my senior season."

Why the early commitment to Illinois? "It started getting crazy when I was going to summer camp. I went to Illinois, Michigan and was going to go to Iowa, Purdue, maybe Wisconsin. I was getting more attention, everybody saw what was going on, really when I started to go visit different places was when I got more attention but like I said, it was a little too crazy for me and Illinois was the place I felt the best about so I committed last summer."

"Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Georgia Tech, Purdue, mostly Big Ten schools were showing me the most interest. Illinois of course."

And why Illinois? "Well, I grew up watching Big Ten football and if I got the chance, I wanted to play at that level. At Illinois, it felt like home, every visit I went down there, I could see myself there, around the coaches, the players, get out on the field at camp, it was just like home."

What role did Ron Zook play in the decision? "I went down for lineman camp last summer. Coach Zook told me to make the most of my chance to impress him and Coach Warinner. Coach Disch was my recruiting coach and he was telling me to go out there and show everyone what I could do because I think Coach Disch had been talking me up to Coach Zook and Coach Warinner (laughing) He might have been more nervous than me. I gave him a hard time about that."

"Anyway, I did pretty good I guess at the camp and Coach Zook said they would be in-touch as soon as they could be. A couple days letter I got an official offer from Illinois. Coach (Zook) is a great guy. I am glad I will be able to play for him, help him and the rest of the team rebuild Illinois football."

And the rest of the Illini coaching staff also played a big part in the commitment, "Definitely, the Illinois coaches are real personal, even talking to them on the phone, they have better qualities than some other coaches I spoke with. The way they talk, they talk to you like they've known you forever, like a best friend from high school, not like a first time conversation, they acted like they knew me and my family, like they lived in the neighborhood and we were just talking about things."

And the Illini staff used Garrity as an example of the type of talent they are bringing in when other recruits came to town, "I was the first person to commit, every time I am down in Champaign, they wanted me to talk to the other recruits to let them know how excited I was about Illinois."

"When I was on my official, I was pretty much a full time recruiter just like I wanted to be. That was pretty cool. Most of the guys that were there on my official visit (December 8) committed eventually, Jack Cornell, Mark Jackson, Martez Wilson. I was real happy that most of the guys the coaches really wanted that weekend committed."

"All the guys that were there were high quality people, not just great athletic ability, they were great guys, the coaches at Illinois did the job of finding good guys to bring in. Jack (Cornell) and I have become pretty good friends. We are going to be roommates next fall at school."

And signing day finally being here on Wednesday? "I am really happy for it to get here. We will have a ceremony at the school for me to sign and send the fax to Coach Disch and Coach Zook. It's seems like a long time ago when I committed, a lot has happened but I am real happy next Wednesday will get here and I can make it official." Garrity will first be tried at offensive tackle at Illinois.

Garrity scouting report from Rivals.com: Garrity is a versatile prospect and could project to several spots at the college level. He is a big defensive end at the high school level and could develop as a defensive tackle in college. His athleticism and explosiveness may be better suited for the offensive side of the ball in college though. He could be a blocking tight end and may be worth the time to develop as a tackle. He has a good frame and should be able to bulk to up. He displays a good physical nature and should be able to get push in the run game. He does a solid job of using his hands and getting placement. He moves well enough to be able to shadow a pass rusher. He displays the strength to be able to anchor and hold his ground. Where Garrity fits best depends on where he goes to school and that teams needs. His versatility is his strong point. He will need some time to develop and adjust once he lands at a position.

I Committed on the Spot

(This article originally appeares on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

Darius Purcell, a 6-foot, 215-pound safety from Chicago Hubbard High School, said he had his eye on the Illini from the beginning, and didn't waste any time promising his services to Coach Ron Zook.

"Last fall around Thanksgiving, my recruiting coach, Coach Mitchell, called me and told me that he was going to put me on the phone with Coach Zook, who was going to offer me a scholarship," Purcell said. "I was like, ooh, I'm gonna do it. I committed on the spot."

Purcell is a member of the vaunted group of Chicago preps headed south next year, a list which includes Martez Wilson and Miami Thomas. Earlier in the week, Thomas, a cornerback, jokingly expressed "heartbreak" that fellow future Illini Martez Wilson had been the only offensive player to score on him all year. According to Purcell, he should have been on the list as well.

"Miami got a pass interference call trying to guard me," Purcell joked. "Yeah, Miami was holding me."

Purcell also said that he considered a game where his Hubbard squad took on Martez Wilson's team was one that put him on the map.

"It really went down in that game," said Purcell Thursday. "He came across the middle a couple times, and I made him drop the ball twice. But it was fun. Martez and I went to the same day care."

The Chicago crew does indeed boast good relationships with one another, and according to Purcell, the winning most of them experienced in high school isn't going to change.

"We've all been winning a lot, and in my mind, that's not really gonna change," said Purcell. "We're going to keep winning, go to bowl games, win a Big Ten championship, and go to the national championship That is why we are all going to Illinois to accomplish those goals."

Purcell will sign his Illini letter of intent a ceremony at Chicago Hubbard High School on Wednesday.

Ready to Sign

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

Chicago Simeon five star defender Martez Wilson, perhaps the biggest fish in Illinois' 2007 recruiting pond, decided to commit to the Illini when he decided that head coach Ron Zook was a voice he could trust.

"You get to hear all these different stories, so you have to be worried about who is telling you the right stuff, and what to believe," Wilson said Thursday. "But Coach Zook helped me because he's a good coach, and what he was telling me was helping me with my decision."

Wilson said that a specific portion of Zook's sales pitch sold him on the Illini.

"I want to come in and start, and I want to go somewhere that I can help them, and I knew Illinois could give me that," said Wilson. "That's why I went there."

One of the top defenders in the nation, according to Rivals.com, Wilson has very specific goals for his freshman season.

"I want to be a freshman All-American, and I'd like to be one of the top five or ten tacklers in the Big 10. I want to have a good year."

If Wilson continues the momentum he built during his senior year of high school, big contributions in the box score may become a regularity. According to the Rivals.com database, Wilson logged a staggering 140 tackles during his senior campaign. Playing the rare wide receiver/defensive end combo, Wilson also caught 42 balls for nine touchdowns, including while being guarded by fellow Illini recruit Miami Thomas.

"All the scouts and everyone had Miami as a good corner, in Chicago," Wilson said. "But to me, when I was going out for a pass, I felt no one could stick me period. He just couldn't stick me on that play."

Wilson and several members of the Illini's new Chicago crew have relationships that extend back as far as grammar school football and, in the case of Wilson and Darius Purcell, pre-school day care.

"I talk to those guys as much as I can," said Wilson. "We're all gonna be teammates now."

Wilson plans to participate in the Chicago Public League ceremony Wednesday to sign his letter of intent with the University of Illinois.

Everything Just Seems Right

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

An Illini recruit preparing to sign next week still can't believe he is part of such a heralded class of athletes.

"It's kind of crazy that I could be a part of something ranked so highly in the nation," said Steve Matas, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound defensive lineman from Mentor, Ohio. "Its very exciting. I'm just astonished by that."

Matas pledged his services to Ron Zook's Illini in October, but despite his relative early commitment, he told OrangeandBlueNews.com that the recruiting derby was a bit long for his liking.

"It started out extremely fun, you know, I got a whole lot of opportunities to talk to people I wouldn't have otherwise," Matas said. "But it started to get strenuous when coaches were allowed to call often, and during the heavy period, I'd be trying to sleep or do homework and just be getting bombarded by calls."

Eventually, of course, Matas chose Champaign as his collegiate decision and, like many Illini recruits from the class of 2007, he said Ron Zook's character was the key reason in landing his signature next week.

"A lot of other coaches were just alright, kind of stiff almost, like they didn't want you to see what they were really thinking," said Matas. "Illinois was kind of like: 'this is us. This is who we are.' They were very friendly and made me feel like a part of the program. I liked the personality of Coach Zook, Coach Sims and Coach Warinner. The players and the coaches really made me feel like I wanted to be a part of what they were doing."

According to Matas, the defining moment in his commitment came when he attended the Illinois vs. Ohio contest early in the 2007 campaign. The attitude of the players, coaches he met and buzz around the team that day was enough to convince Matas, a likely candidate to qualify for the Ohio State Wrestling Tournament at heavyweight, to sign with Illinois.

"I feel great about Illinois," Matas said. "Everything just seems right."

Ready to Sign

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

An Illini recruit whose verbal commitment wasn't enough to stop coaches at USC and Arizona State from continuing their pursuit has had no second thoughts, and is all-systems-go to cement his verbal on signing day.

Josh Brent, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound defensive tackle from Bloomington (Ill.) Central Catholic High School, kept receiving calls from the two Pac-10 schools well after verballing to Ron Zook the day after Christmas. But his commitment to the Illini remained solid.

"When we went on break December 21, from then until Christmas were the most peaceful days I had all year," Brent said Wednesday. "The coaches didn't call, and I started to clear my head and think clearly, and not be tossed one way or the other. And that's when I picked Illinois."

Since verballing to Zook, Brent has turned a passing interest in the recruiting game to a very active one, and boasts an impressive knowledge of the rest of Illinois' vaunted 2007 class.

"We have three guys coming in early, a whole bunch of guys coming in the summer, and overall the class just comes from a background of winning," Brent said. "Everybody that's coming in has the potential to be great players."

Brent is impressed by leaders that set goals, and he said Ron Zook has set a firm one for this Illini program.

"We are going to be in a bowl game," said Brent. "We know that success isn't going to come instantly, we have to put in the work, we'll make progress, start out by having more wins, then we'll win some games we shouldn't win."

According to Brent, Zook has laid out a goal for the team to earn a bowl bid by no later than the 2008 season. Beyond that, Brent says, 'the sky is the limit'.

"Everybody can be great. My number one goal, of course, is to make the NFL, but after that, its just starting to be more successful as a team."

Brent chose Illinois over offers from Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, Arizona State, Iowa, Purdue, Wisconsin and Minnesota among others.

It's Miami Thomas

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

Soon-to-be Illini signee Marcus Thomas is an ardent student of the recruiting derby in his native Chicago, and he still remembers the first moment he realized how many were following his recruitment as well.

"I was at the EdgyTim junior day for the Chicago kids, and when I got in the door, I heard someone say 'there's Miami Thomas", said Thomas, who has gone by Miami since moving to Chicago before his sophomore year of high school. "Everyone was getting interviewed in the front, but they took me to the back where all the top players were getting interviewed."

"I looked around and saw some of the best players in Illinois with me, and I thought: 'wow, this is a defining moment."

Thomas described the entire process, start to finish, as one filled with excitement, and the opportunity to meet a host of coaches and players from across the country.

"It was real cool talking to people from Hawaii, from Boston, from wherever they were offering from," Thomas said Monday. "I mean, it was real fun. How many people get to say they got an offer from Hawaii?"

Of course, Thomas would eventually commit to play for Ron Zook's Illini, becoming a member of Illinois' heralded 2007 class, which is being rated in the top-10 nationwide by some services.

According to Thomas, several of the Chicago-area recruits headed to Champaign next year have a close relationship, and his commitment to Illinois was instrumental in building an added buzz among some other members of the 2007 class.

"People were starting to talk about Illinois here, and then I committed," Thomas said. "And then a second person committed, and then when I would see the other players they'd ask me about Illinois, and I think a lot of people started to feel comfortable going to somewhere where they'd know a bunch of players already."

Thomas played high school football in Chicago's Public League, where he established a rivalry with a player Illini fans will, hopefully, get to know very well very soon.

"Martez (Wilson), man," Thomas joked, "that dude was the only guy to score on me in high school, the only guy to score on me in all of high school. That's heartbreaking right there."

Thomas has charted Illinois' efforts in the offseason closely, and spoke highly of the class of which he is a member.

"Its going to be real good. There's a whole bunch of talent, I mean, you got the top wide receiver in the country, the top defensive end, a whole bunch of athletes. And that D.C. pipeline they're opening is a real good thing."

Surgery Tuesday for Big D

A four-star Illinois football recruit heads to surgery today, hoping that doctors can successfully repair an ACL injury that was not properly diagnosed until several months later.

D'Angelo McCray

D'Angelo McCray, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound defensive lineman from Jacksonville (Fl.) Jackson, is scheduled to under the knife at 11 a.m. EST today, a move scheduled by doctors after a post-season MRI revealed that an injury originally thought to be confined to the meniscus was indeed a slightly torn anterior cruciate ligament.

"When I was down, at first I couldn't move, but then a week or so afterward, I was walking on it," McCray said Tuesday night. "The doctors thought it was only a tear, so they cleared me to play the rest of the year."

The injury occurred during the first game of McCray's senior season, and he said that throughout the aftermath of the injury, the coaching staff at Illinois has been nothing but supportive.

"Coach Zook is actually coming down to see me Wednesday, he's coming to my home," McCray said. "He's just a pretty cool, down to earth guy."
(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

According to McCray, his doctors have told him that he will be 100 percent by July, and ready to start working out with the Illini football program this summer. He plans to move to Champaign soon after graduating from high school in May in an effort to settle in to his new home and begin rehabbing with team staff as soon as possible. But the rehabilition effort will start well before then, in Jacksonville.

"I got a little membership to the gym, so I'm going to be in the pool a lot. I can still work my upper body, so I'm going to be working that a lot, and then going in to the pool and whirlpool to try and build back my leg."

McCray will officially ink with the Illini at a signing day press conference at Jackson High School February 7.

Thomas Back from Illini Visit

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

A Washington DC area prospect who committed to Illinois last fall visited Champaign this weekend, and found the trip even better than he'd hoped.

Ian Thomas, a 6-foot, 206-pound weakside linebacker from DeMatha Catholic HS (Md.) pledged his services to offensive coorindator Mike Locksley and the Illini last fall before ever visiting Illinois, and returned home Sunday even more excited about his future in Champaign.

"It was the greatest thing," said Thomas Sunday night. "I met the coaches, met the players, saw the campus. I just can't wait to get down there."

Thomas said he was excited by the entire weekend, but reserved his highest words of praise for Ron Zook's coaching staff.

"I met every single coach, offense and defense," Thomas said. "You can't get a better staff than they have at Illinois. They take care of business on and off the field, but they also let you have a good time. I just can't wait to get down there and have them coach me up."

While Thomas was the only recruit visiting, he said he already shares a familiarity and bond with several of the DC-area preps that Zook has signed, and that he got special advice on his recruitment from one of them.

"Derek McPhearson, who went to my school, he told me Illinois was the best visit he took," Thomas said. "And he went to Florida, a lot of places, all the top schools. If Illinois was the best for him, I figured it would be pretty good for me."

Just a day after setting foot on the Illinois campus, Thomas already has big plans for his future in the orange and blue.

"They definitely want me to come in and start on special teams, and I'm going to get a chance to contribute at linebacker. I definitely don't expect to redshirt, I expect to play next year."

As far as how the jump from Dematha to the Big Ten would compare to what his DC buddies had told him, Thomas said that on the visit, he saw with his own eyes that Illinois' physical conditioning program is "no joke man, seriously, it's no joke." He did, however, assure Illini fans that its "nothing he can't handle," and that he'll arrive next fall ready to make an impact immediately.

Linebacker Hits the State of Illinois

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

An inside linebacer from the class of 2008 went to Champaign for an unofficial visit this weekend, and the trip has Illinois among the early leaders for his services.

Jon Major, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound ILB from Ponderosa (Co.) tripped to both Evanston and Champaign over the weekend, and came away feeling good about the competing Big 10 schools.

"They were both good," Major said Sunday. "They're very different, Evanston is really close to the city, and Illinois is a lot more rural, obviously."

As far as just what he liked about Illinois, Major echoed a statement growing awfully familiar to Illini fans: a very high opinion of Coach Ron Zook.

"He sure seems like he knows what he's doing," said Major. "He's really energetic, and you can tell he's taking them in the right direction."

Major is projected as an middle linebacker by most of the college coaches on his tail, and his skill at the position was on display in a 20-tackle performance against Rangeview HS last fall.

The Colorado prep did say that playing for a winning team is important to him, but among Major's offers, only Wisconsin and Utah posted winning seasons in 2006. He also retains scholarship offers from Colorado, Stanford, Illinois, Northwestern and Washington.

The rising junior said that he feels physically ready to compete in college, but will use his senior year to continue developing his leadership skills, a tool he said "can always improve." Illini defensive coordinator Vince Okruch is recruiting Major for Zook's program.

All I Want For Christmas

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

A California JC back who has been around the football block is looking forward to making Illinois his final collegiate destination.

Daniel Dufrene , a 5-foot-10, 192-pound back from College of the Sequoias (Visalia, Ca.) committed to play for Ron Zook's Illini on December 12, after taking a visit to Champaign December 8.

Coming out of high school, Dufrene had committed to Minnesota before changing course and going to Vanderbilt. He then left Vanderbilt to play at College of the Sequoias last summer. Through it all, the Florida native has always had the Big Ten squarely in his sights.

"The Big 10 is just a highly competitive conference," Dufrene said. "And its been proven over time that if you do well there, you have a chance to take your game to the next level."

Dufrene will transfer and move to Champaign in January, giving him the upcoming semester to acclimate himself to the new climate in practice and in the classroom.

This season, Dufrene carried 75 times for 592 yards and 6 TDs. He also caught five passes for one score and amassed a quarterback rating of 556.0, according to the College of Sequoias team website, throwing for a TD on his only pass attempt of the year. Dufrene will have three years of eligibility at Illinois.

On his December visit, Dufrene was convinced by both Ron Zook's coaching staff and Illini player host Antonio Steele that success in junior college can be a big ingredient to succeeding at Illinois.

While the all purpose back is a little hesitant about the Midwest weather, he does have one big Christmas wish. "All I want for Christmas is just to get to Illinois, and get off to a good start," Dufrene said. "I can't wait to get started."

The Latest on Sagesse

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

A three-star defensive lineman from Canada wants to play for Ron Zook's Fighting Illini, pending a final decision on his eligibility from the University of Illinois.

Renaldo Sagesse, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive tackle from Vieux Montreal in Montreal, Quebec, wants to start school at Illinois in January if his academic standing is cleared by the school.

Sagesse expects a decision within a couple weeks from the University of Illinois.

Sagesse, a native French speaker who just began speaking English at age 10, was offered a scholarship at Wisconsin, but was not allowed in to school by the admissions department of the Big Ten school.

According to Sagesse, several schools appeared close to offering scholarships, but balked when he was denied admission at Wisconsin. Illinois is his only standing offer.

If he is not accepted at Illinois, he plans to visit Michigan on January 12, as a guest of the coaching staff there. He did say definitively, however, that if he gains admission to Illinois, he wants to be a member of Ron Zook's program.

"They're good people there at Illinois," Sagesse said. "It's a really nice place and a very good situation for me, I would like to go there."

Due to an extra year of Canadian prep school, Sagesse is already 19, and appears prepared, size-wise, to play college football. He is a three-star prospect in the Rivals.com database, and boasts 5.1 speed in the 40-yard dash.

Brewster Looks to the Future

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

A three-star quarterback from one of the winningest high school programs in Colorado is ready to help reverse Illinois' football fortunes.

Clint Brewster, a quarterback from Denver's Mullen High School, just wrapped his second straight season guiding Mullen to a second-place finish in the state of Colorado. Those two campaigns, coupled with a state title run in 2004, have given Brewster plenty of experience leading winning teams. That success is a trend he hopes continues at Illinois.

"I don't care where Illinois has been in the past, or what they did last year, or before I got there," Brewster explained. "I'm all about looking to the future, and the future looks good to me."

Brewster's recent past is marked with a second-straight disappointment in the state championship game, but according to Brewster, his focus is on the future.

"I'll think about that game forever, being our second chance to win it and all," Brewster said Friday. "But the initial sting has worn off, and I'm just focusing on getting stronger, smarter, and getting ready to play for Illinois."

Part of that vision toward the future has been following the rest of Illinois' recruits through the fall, and according to Brewster, he's pleased with the work Ron Zook's Illini have done. "I talked to Arrelious (Benn) on my official, and also saw that they just got a commitment from Martez (Wilson)," said Brewster. "Things look real, real good for the future."

Brewster, the son of Denver Broncos tight end coach/former Illini great Tim Brewster, is often credited with being a very smart player. While that kind of praise is typical of a coach's son, the 6-foot-1, 187 pound "pro-style" QB said growing up "around the game" hasn't been the entire secret to his success, but has helped him gain an extra edge by lending him a familiarity with certain game situations.

Brewster threw for 2,082 yards and 22 TD's this year, completed 141 of 245 pass attempts. Mullen dropped the state final, 13-10, to Columbine HS on December 3.

Brock Ready for Visits

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

A playmaking tight end from Texas is gaining steam, and will visit Illinois in January as he considers whether to keep his verbal commitment to UTEP.

Logan Brock, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound tight end from Copperas Cove (Tx.), is coming off a run deep in to the Texas class 4-A playoffs that left his team just short of a title, but left Brock with a lot more attention from recruiters.

While insisting that UTEP is still his first choice, Brock conceded that the door is "pretty wide open" for him to revoke his commitment.

On the heels of a season that saw him register solid numbers (31 catches, 500 yards, 6 TD's), Brock was a key component of an offense that led Copperas Cove all the way to the state championship. His contributions didn't go unnoticed by schools still trying to make hay in the rich recruiting terrain of Texas high schools.

Brock has received offers of late from several schools, including Illinois, which looks to be running a close second behind UTEP, due to one advisor very close to Brock.

"My dad speaks very highly of the Big Ten," Brock said. "He says the best athletes play there, and you have to be ready every week, and that's just what I'm looking for."

Brock's father played at Indiana in the 1970s, and, according to Brock, is pushing to keep the Big 10 tradition in the family. But Dad isn't the only thing that has the Illini front and center in Brock's sights. The Texan has been impressed with Ron Zook, both in person and on paper.

"Coach Zook has been successful at many different programs against top competition," Brock said. "He's also a really nice guy that made the effort to come down and visit me in central Texas."

Brock will return the favor on January 19, visiting Champaign between weekend trips to TCU and Iowa State. He visits Kansas January 5, and expects a decision shortly after all four visits are complete.