34 days to Camp Rantoul

No. 4: Josh Brent, defensive tackle.

Why he's important: First, the legal stuff. The guy just got out of jail after a month for a DUI conviction. While Ron Zook will wait to make a decision on Brent's return, including any possible suspensions, you'd have to say that anything more will be piling on. We go back to the words of his attorney, Tony Novak, who talked in glowing terms about his client ... after the case had been resolved. Brent will be on some sort of zero tolerance, but if he stays out of trouble, he might avoid game suspensions. Coming off a 34-tackle season, that included 8.5 TFLs, he can be a huge factor for the Illinois defense. Putting him on the field with Corey Liuget will create a difficult matchuop problem for opposing defenses. Illinois has two future NFL players at tackle.

Getting personal: You can be certain the Illinois coaches noticed him showing up often during spring practices. Other guys on suspension might have skulked away. Not Brent. He showed up and seemed to have a positive attitude. The players appreciate the support. The former News-Gazette All-Stater from Bloomington Central Catholic has always been friendly and easy to deal with off the field. If he continues to follow the rules and finishes his Illinois career strong, he can become one of those positive turnaround stories that college sports tend to produce. Having Sirod Williams back this season will be a good thing for Brent. The two are friends and Brent helped Williams when the senior missed the 2008 season because of a knee injury. Now, Williams can return the favor.

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