Jim,

I won't get a rundown until right before the start of spring ball in late March.

Of course, defensive tackle Sirod Williams and cornerback Miami Thomas are recovering from injuries suffered during the 2008 season. With Josh Brent's uncertain status, it turns out that the Williams will be critical to the defensive line in 2009. He would have been a big help in 2008 too, but ultimately it will be better for Illinois that he is back.

Al,

While it seems that Josh Brent has put himself and the coaches in a difficult situation, you can't assume that Josh will be kicked out of the program. First, he hasn't been convicted of DUI, only charged. And while the reports sound bad for Josh, you never know what will happen in court and beyond.
Ron Zook is a second-chance guy, which you can see by the return of Brian Gamble. But there are limits. And drinking while driving is a very sensitive topic on campus after the Jamar Smith incident.
Ultimately, the decision on Brent might not be in Ron Zook's hands.
Somebody suggested to me that maybe Josh Brent will be put in the same situation as Jamar Smith: asked to redshirt and try to keep out of trouble during the season off. Based on the way it didn't work for Jamar Smith, I think that's unlikely.
I think if Josh is given the OK to return to the team, it will be with very strict rules and regulations, much more defined than those for the rest of the players.
On a personal note, I've always liked Josh. He's a friendly guy who has made some unfortunate choices. Hopefully, for his own sake, he is he able to stay away from temptations in the future.

Kyle,

Brent's future is certainly clouded. I think Ron Zook will continue to seek information on what happened and won't rush to judgment. He will also do everything he can to help his player off the field.

Mike,
Interesting that you mentioned bars in your question. I think you bring up a great point.
For their freshman year, the players are required to live on campus and most end up in the very convenient Six Pack. There have been some wavers for the first-year rule in the past (say a player had an older brother on the team, etc). But I'd say 99 percent of the freshmen live on camps.
The coaches can't really dictate where the players live after the first year. If they tried to do that, word would get out and it would hurt in recruiting. The players want to have freedoms to live where they want. Can't blame them. That being said, a place like Fort Monk makes so much more sense than living in Savoy (no offense to the nice Savoyians). You can walk to class and practice if you live near the place. You can't if you live in Savoy.
I would think for team unity purposes, the closer the players live together, the better. But again, the coaches can't dictate living arrangements. They can, however, make suggestions.
Maybe the coaches could move toward a "freshman year on campus, second year near campus" model that wouldn't bother the players too much. And there is very nice student housing going up near campus all the time. Maybe when all those places are available, the players will be more inclined to live near campus.

Andy,

I don't think any stone was left unturned by the coaches, who weren't at all happy with the 5-7 finish and being kept out of the postseason.
Now is the time when the leadership develops for the next season. The players are together a lot between now and the start of training camp. I'm not sure how much the coaches can do to push the leadership issue. That has to develop on its own. J Leman, Justin Harrison, Martin O'Donnell, Kevin Mitchell and friends were certainly missed on the field last season because of their abilities. But they also played huge roles as leaders.
There are some obvious guys on the 2009 team, starting with Juice Williams, Arrelious Benn, Sirod Williams, Jon Asamoah, Michael Hoomanawanui, Doug Pilcher and others. Leadership is important in every sport, but the lack of it seems to really hurt a football team more than anywhere else.

Pete,

I think he has to be honest about the situations. It doesn't take much brainpower to realize that Arrelious Benn will be three and out. The great thing for him is that it will be with his degree.
Having more players in the NFL draft will be a big deal for the Illini in recruiting. Every time a Kelvin Hayden signs for $40 million, it helps Illinois.
You make a good point about playing time. That has to help for the incoming receivers to know that there will be an opening after next season. Same goes for the cornerbacks who signed in 2008.
I think Ron Zook uses every tool available to him in recruiting. And he has convinced me he sells what he has and doesn't badmouth competing schools. That's smart.

Bob,

The workouts are pretty constant. As long as a ball isn't in play or schemes are being run, the coaches can be involved. Ron Zook uses an aggressive, team-building winter program that leads into spring practice. The players love/hate it. But they all realize it's good for them.
The younger players have required study hall time. Kristin Kane does a great job with the players academically. You get the feeling the players trust her and listen to her.
I don't know about any specific mentoring programs, but I know the older guys are encouraged to help the younger guys at their positions. And I see a lot of that.

Kyle,

There are limits in terms of what the program can provide legally. If a player gets into trouble, he more likely turns to someone on campus who helps the general student population.
Adrian Melendez is the director of football operations and he has many duties.
Kristin Kane is in charge of academics for football.
Cassie Arner is in charge of media relations for football. She also helps set up public appearances for the players, such as a trip to a local elementary school.
The Illini football players are very active in the community and probably don't get enough credit for it.

Jjohnson,

Because of the return talent at receiver, and Gamble's stated desire to play defense, I think he'll be a safety.
Nothing wrong with having a guy with good hands playing in a position where he can pick off passes. One pick six is worth about 10 receptions.