COACH RON ZOOK'S Fighting Illini scrimmaged Aug. 11 at Rantoul High School. With the Sept. 1 season opener against Missouri on everybody's mind, the players were fighting to show the coaching staff they deserved a place in the starting lineup.

The Illini are stocked with blue-chip recruits this year, and they head into the season with a good blend of young players and veteran leaders. A major improvement on last year's 2-10 record is expected. Any bowl game would be nice for a change, but a Jan. 1 bowl would be ideal. Stay tuned to see how the Illini fare this season. In the meantime, check out this slideshow from the Rantoul scrimmage.