Perry,

I'm guessing it will go a couple of hours. Usually, there will be a regular clock in the first half and a running clock in the second.
Ron Zook plans to split the team into equal parts and have a competitive game. I like the idea.

Al,

First, it seems like the coaches and his teammates want Josh back. That's an important first step.
Certainly, there are some legal issues facing Josh. But I believe he will be dealt with fairly in the courts. Ultimately, this falls on Josh's actions from this point forward. If he stays out of trouble, I think he will be with the team. It's a lot better defense with Josh on the line than with him off. But I think there is genuine concern from the team about what will happen to Josh if he isn't with the team.

Jimmy,

Jarred Fayson has a sprained foot and will miss the rest of the spring. He'll probably be out 3-4 weeks, which is much better than it looked on Saturday. I would have guessed by how the doctors were dealing with him that he had a broken foot, which would have been a longer rehab.
Ron Zook broke down the different phases of his team during the press conference. He talked a lot about the progress of the young guys and also mentioned that he likes the look of Martez Wilson at middle linebacker.

Jason,

I'm going to assume that you are talking about safety Donsay Hardeman. He had neck surgery, which I believe fused together vertebrae. I don't know all the technical part of it, but I know he has been cleared for noncontact work and hopes to have complete clearance in May.
The bigger issue for him is regaining the confidence to be able to play. He's a hard hitter and is very aggressive. Until he feels like he can play like that again, it will be difficult for him to get on the field.
But based on watching his enthusiasm during spring practices, I'm guessing he will be on the field if its physically possible. The coaches aren't going to risk his future. Neither are the doctors. So, if he plays, it means they aren't worried about him getting hurt in the same place again.
Like with Josh Brent, the Illinois defense is a whole lot better if Donsay Hardeman is in the lineup.

Sterling,

I'm not sure what Supo runs in the 40. I know the players are timed because there are charts in the old weight room with the best times. No surprise, Vontae Davis, Chris Duvalt and Will Judson were among the fastest in the 40 in 2008. Sanni is playing well in the spring and drew praise from Ron Zook today.
Jerry Brown is listed No. 2 at one defensive end spot behind Doug Pilcher. He could be an important player for the Illinois defense in 2009.

MT,

I think he feels more comfortable each day. I don't know how he reacted to the idea at first, but he seems to have caught on. He played well in Saturday's scrimmage.
The coaches have been waiting for Martez to play up to his ability. Maybe this is the position where it will happen. If the guy makes 150 tackles in 2009, the defensive coaches and Ron Zook are going to look like geniuses.

Shaun,

I'll go with Sirod Williams, who has to be the strongest guy on the team. But Rahkeem Smith is playing very well. His speed will be an asset and so will his history at other positions. If he gains enough power and size, he can help the defense in 2009. I didn't think that was possible when he first made the switch.

Matt,

Great question. One that I can't possibly get right. But I'll try.

1. Arrelious Benn
2. Corey Liuget
3. Martez Wilson
4. Jarred Fayson
5. Corey Lewis
6. Josh Brent
7. Jon Asamoah
8. Juice Williams
9. Justin Green
10. Terry Hawthorne

Jared,

I'm starting at quarterback. I want to see if Juice Wiliams continues his spring progress and how well Eddie McGee and Jacob Charest play.
I'm curious if the defense can play like it did on Saturday. While the coaches don't want to see turnovers, they want to see the defense force some mistakes.
I want to see if the punters and kickers can respond in the closest thing they'll have to a game until Sept. 5.

Keasch,

Close call, but I'll go with Bo Flowers. Of course, he's got to watch his temper. He would have been thrown out of the game in Saturday's scrimmage for his tussle with Arrelious Benn. Benn would have been gone too. That shouldn't happen in a real game.
Both Flowers and Edwards will see the field a lot in 2009.

Doug,

You make good points. The 2008 line did have some injury issues. Ryan Palmer had a leg injury. Ryan McDonald played hurt all season. So did Xavier Fulton.
So, being healthy is important. The line has played well during the spring. Eric Block and Jon Asamoah are solid in the middle. The tackles seem to be developing and I think the coaches are smart in using Jeff Allen and Corey Lewis at both left and right sides. Randall Hunt has been in the program for a while and should be ready to start. And the backups seem to be improving.
I also think the running backs will be better in 2009 than in 2008. There is a lot of competition there and Jason Ford and Mikel Leshoure are much better players than they were as freshmen.

John,

I am trying to get some information about Adam Rebholz relative to Illinois. Often the walk-on decisions aren't determined until later in the spring.
I do know he had a big year for the Class 4A state champions, throwing for 2,500 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also ran for 11 scores and played some defense.

Matt,

There are a bunch of guys playing for one/two spots. I think Russell Ellington and Ian Thomas will get the bulk of the time. But I wouldn't be surprised to see Justin Staples and Evan Frierson make a move. And Aaron Gress is going to have a chance to play too.
Patrick Nixon looks good most days. I think you'll see him at cornerback, and depending on the health of Miami Thomas, he could play a lot.

Bill,
Linebacker might still be a liability, but it looks to be in better shape than at the start of the spring. If Martez Wilson works out at middle linebacker, it gives the coaches a lot of flexibility with the other positions.
Illinois won't need to use three linebackers in the first month, so it's really two positions that need to be resolved.

Andrew,

I should have mentioned Nate Bussey earlier. He is playing well, making plays and gaining confidence at linebacker. He returned an interception for a touchdown in a practice late last week.
I don't think he will start, but I do think he will play. He can almost be a hybrid type between a safety and a linebacker. He enjoys contact.

Tommy C.,

I don't think the coaching staff has lost confidence in Corey Lewis. They like him at left tackle, but they seem to want to have the flexibility to use both Corey and Jeff Allen at both left and right tackle.
I like the work being done by new coach Joe Gilbert and I think he will find the best five to start. It looks like the coaches feel comfortable with the first four tackles (Ryan Palmer and Craig Wilson are the others). And it looks like the guard position goes four-deep too.
Having Block and Asamoah inside is a good starting point for Gilbert. And having a mobile quarterback takes some of the heat off the line.