Terry Workman got his wish. The Rantoul coach won't have to travel far to see his former Eagles play in college.

Rantoul offensive lineman Sean Bubin has committed to Illinois. He will join wide receiver/defensive back Dwayne Smith in Ron Turner's 1999 Illini recruiting class.

"I get to see some more of their games," a happy Workman said.

Bubin picked the Illini over Indiana and Purdue. He canceled a recruiting trip to Bloomington, Ind. scheduled for this weekend.

At 6-foot-7, 290, Bubin is physically ready to play right now. But Workman wouldn't mind seeing Bubin sit out his first season.

"Obviously, it would be better if he redshirted," Workman said.

Illinois' needs might make redshirting impossible. Turner's team lost three starters on the offensive line. Eleven scholarship linemen return next season, but just three with extensive experience.

"They (Illini coaches) say if you're good enough, you'll play right away," Bubin said.

The Illini have commitments from three other offensive linemen. They are waiting on Rich Central All-Stater Aaron Hodges, who is making an official visit to Miami today. Hodges is leaning toward Illinois.

Bubin was a News-Gazette All-Area player as a senior, helping the Eagles to the Class 4A playoffs.

"He had a tremendous year for us," Workman said. "From his junior year to his senior year, he improved a ton."

Bubin isn't taking the winter off. He jumped from football to basketball, a move that should help him as a college lineman.

Workman expects Bubin to be a standout at Illinois.

"No doubt in my mind," Workman said.

It has been a good week for Illinois football. On Wednesday, the Illini program beat Michigan for the first time since 1993.

Instead of Johnny Johnson to Jim Klein, it was Marc Jackson to Turner.

Jackson, one of the top high school safeties in the country, picked Illinois over Michigan. He told Illinois coach Turner during a phone call.

"It was very close," Jackson said. "It was a tossup for a long time between Illinois and Michigan. Those two were in the lead for basically the whole time."

Usually, the Wolverines get who they want. When Jackson called the Michigan coaches Thursday, they asked, "Why?"

"They stressed their disappointment," Jackson said.

Illinois had a few advantages in the battle for Jackson.

Jackson's older brother, Bobby, is the team's starting strong safety. And Illinois offered Marc Jackson a chance to play sooner.

"He's not the reason I made the decision," Marc Jackson said of his brother. "It helped a little, but ultimately I made the decision because I thought it would be the place I'd get an opportunity to play the fastest."

The Illinois coaches haven't made him promises about playing time. Jackson didn't expect any.

"Going in, I know I'm going to have to compete and work really hard to find a spot," Jackson said. "It's going to be hard, but I'm up to the challenge."

Illinois loses two of its top four safeties, Mike Gusich and Ivan Benson, to graduation. Bobby Jackson returns at one spot and part-time starter Muhammad Abdullah is back at the other.

A Jackson-Jackson safety combination appeals to Marc.

"It's real clear in my mind that I could see that," Jackson said. "That would be something I'm hoping for."

The Jackson-Illinois connection might not end with the players. The Jacksons' father, Robert, is a possibility for the Illini vacancy at receivers coach. Robert Jackson is coordinator of operations at Oregon State and a former assistant at the school.

"I know the position is open," Marc Jackson said. "Whatever my Dad decides to do, I'm going to stick behind him 100 percent."