Benn not worried about hype

RANTOUL – The beard is starting to look a bit scraggly. Mom isn't going to like it. And his position coach doesn't think much of it either.

"My mom hasn't seen it," Illinois receiver Arrelious Benn said. "She's not going to be happy. If she saw me, she'll tell me I've got to get that straightened out."

"I don't really like it," Illinois inside receivers/tight ends coach Jim Pry said. "It doesn't really look like Rejus Benn."

A razor is about all that Benn's been lacking during his second Camp Rantoul. He is healthy again after missing a chunk of the 2007 training camp with a shoulder injury.

Pry has been thrilled with Benn during this year's training camp.

"He has taken such a big step since last season," Pry said. "Route running, he's almost perfect.

"He works his butt off all the time. He's got some places he needs to get better at. He knows where they're at and he works at them."

The Big Ten's Freshman of the Year has been nominated for national awards as a sophomore. He is already on the watch lists for the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards. He will contend for the Biletnikoff Award, which hasn't released a watch list.

And Benn promises he isn't thinking about the awards. Told he had been named to another watch list Monday, Benn barely reacted.

"It's cool, but I don't worry about those type of things," Benn said. "I just let those things take care of themselves. I just go out and play."

When Illinois was 3-8 or 2-10, there weren't many postseason award possibilities. Coming off a 9-4 season, the voters are starting to pay attention to the Illini.

"It shows that we're making a lot of progress," Benn said. "(Ron) Zook is bringing in those type of players that can be on those type of watch lists."

There is one award mention that will get Benn's attention: the Heisman Trophy. In a News-Gazette survey of who should get the newspaper's vote, several Illini have mentioned Benn.

"I'd feel good to get it," Benn said. "The type of players who have won it before, those are great legends in college football. It's more of a quarterback, running back thing."

Aches, pains. Defensive end Will Davis missed Monday's workout with a slight ankle sprain. Zook said he expects Davis back soon.

"I don't think it's anything serious," Zook said.

Offensive tackle Xavier Fulton and cornerback Miami Thomas resumed normal practice duties after missing time with a sore ankle and shoulder, respectively.

Safety Donsay Hardeman and tailback Troy Pollard are limited because of leg injuries.

"We're very, very fortunate," Zook said. "Jeff Cumberland (foot) is the only guy if we had a game today probably wouldn't be able to go."

Away for a day. Safety Brian Gamble, who missed time earlier in Camp Rantoul to clear up academic issues, wasn't with the team Monday.

"He had a meeting back at the university this afternoon," Zook said.

Gamble missed time earlier in training camp while working on academic issues. Zook said Gamble remains with the team.

Schedule stuff. The Illini will have a double session today at Camp Rantoul. The workouts for the rest of the week are listed as TBA.

Zook said the players realize Camp Rantoul is winding down.

"The upperclassmen, they definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel," Zook said.

The Illini will start to look toward Missouri later in the week, Zook said.

"Not too early," Zook said. "Just my philosophy, you can spend too much time, then you get stale on them. (The Illini) know how good a football team they're getting ready to play."

Gaining notice
Here are the Illini who have been named to national award watch lists so far for 2008:
PLAYER    POS.    AWARD(S)
Arrelious Benn    WR    Maxwell, Walter Camp
Vontae Davis    CB    Bednarik, Thorpe, Nagurski
Will Davis    DE    Lombardi, Ted Hendricks
Xavier Fulton    OL    Lombardi
Ryan McDonald    C    Rimington
Brit Miller    LB    Lott
Juice Williams    QB    Davey O'Brien
Martez Wilson    LB    Butkus

 

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