The Sporting News applied the latest hit, picking Illinois 11th in the Big Ten and 83rd among 112 Division I-A football programs.

   Face it: The Illini have fallen into disrespect. Nothing short of on-field success can turn it around.

   Consider this: The most productive ball carrier in Illini history, the guy who shattered the records of Thomas Rooks, Red Grange and Jim Grabowski and joined the St. Louis Rams didn''t receive All-Big Ten honors in 1997.

   Robert Holcombe was honorable mention after his senior season. Iowa''s Tavian Banks and Penn State''s Curtis Enis swept first-team honors, and Michigan State''s Sedrick Irvin and Wisconsin''s Ron Dayne were second-teamers.

   Fact is, Illinois hasn''t produced an all-conference player since 1995, when Kevin Hardy and Simeon Rice were picked second and third in the National Football League draft.

   So is perception reality? Well, it''s hard to deny after 17 consecutive losses. The Illini have the "starless" tag, and only a few of us debate it. They''re 14-point underdogs Saturday against a Washington State team picked in the second division of the Pac-10.

All-star recognition thins out

   How did this happen? How could Illinois produce 36 (THIRTY-SIX) All-Big Ten selections in the 10-year period ending in 1992 and land no one other than four crack linebackers  Dana Howard, John Holecek, Rice and Hardy  in the five years since?

   How can the Illini be "starless" when they boast three of the roughest, toughest defenders to emerge from the St. Louis area (Michael Young, Garrett Johnson and Jason Eberhart), when they possess in Mike McGee, the best prospect to come out of Springfield in years, when Steve Havard established himself as Chicagoland''s best ball carrier in 1994, when safety Bobby Jackson was named a prep All-American by BlueChip, Super Prep and Parade, when Marques Sullivan was tabbed one of the Midwest''s four best recruits by Super Prep, when the junior college receivers were ranked among the very best in the nation?

   "It''s all about respect," UI linebacker Danny Clark said, "and you can''t respect someone who didn''t win a game. That''s behind us now. Individuals will receive recognition when we win football games."

   More than any UI defender, Clark made his presence known last year. The junior from Hillcrest had 95 tackles, including 17 vs. Northwestern, and is on the 57-player watch list for the Butkus Award.

   "This is a different team," Clark said. "The offensive line is much stronger and more technique-sound. I''d call our entire linebacking corps three times better than we were, but stopping the run in practice is more competitive than it''s ever been for me.

   "Jameel Cook has added a lot to the running game. Regardless of whether we have stars, we have leaders on the field. The guy who holds the key is (Mark) Hoekstra because the quarterback has to take charge from the huddle to the snap. He''s the most important player on the field. Once he''s in tune, the rest fall into place."

Turner: ''We added quality guys''

   Coach Ron Turner sees his job as identifying the playmakers and putting them in position to make plays. The Connie Moore episode is behind him  a disappointed coach was obliged to let him go  and Turner still believes in his spread-the-wealth corps of pass catchers.

   "We have added some quality guys," Turner said, "and we need to get the ball in their hands. The defensive coverage can dictate a lot of that, but we can set the formation and have a good idea of where we want the ball to go. Defensively, we have playmakers in guys like Clark and Jackson, and we''re expecting big things from them.

   "But we''ve set a goal of winning as a team. We don''t have a superstar. I really don''t think we do. We have a lot of good football players, and I prefer it that way. We have a number of guys who had to play before they were ready last season, and they''re going to be a lot better. The motto here is that everybody''s role is important, and no one''s contribution is greater than anyone else''s."

   What it boils down to is winning games. If the Illini win games, you''ll see Clark, Jackson and Johnson on the Big Ten''s defensive list and someone popping up on offense.

   That''s the way it works.

   Loren Tate writes for The News-Gazette.