To listen to Bob Asmussen's appearance on WDWS, click here.

For Tuesday's recap, click here.

For Saturday's recap, click here.

Ron Zook's team continued practice Wednesday. A look:

TODAY'S NOTES
-- The Illini closed Wednesday's practice with a lengthy scrimmage, complete with officials and coaches wearing headsets.

"We started off with a lot of energy," Illinois coach Ron Zook said. "We have to play with emotion. You've got to have fun. I know it's hard sometimes as you're going through spring. That's one thing we've done a pretty good job with up to this point. We've got to go out there, fly around and have fun."

-- New Illinois offensive coordinator Mike Schultz worked the scrimmage from the press box. Trying to get out of the wind? No, the coaches wanted to simulate a game situation, which means Schultz and quarterbacks coach Kurt Beathard in the box.

"We'll do it a couple more times," Zook said. "You try to do it like a game."

Schultz worked in the press box during his time at TCU and will do the same at Illinois.

-- Defensive back Travon Bellamy had to leave Wednesday's practice early after getting knocked hard to the turf on an interception.

"It was just a precautionary thing to make sure he's OK," Zook said. "They don't think it's anything. But that's something you don't mess with."

-- Supo Sanni had a pair of interceptions during Wednesday's scrimmage work. The sophomore-to-be is competing for a starting spot at safety.
 
-- The offensive line has three returning starters back, with Corey Lewis and Randall Hunt filling the vacancies at left tackle and left guard, respectively.

"The first group, I feel pretty good about," Zook said. "We still had a couple of bad snaps with the second group. But not as many as we had (Tuesday). As long as we continue to improve there, I think we'll be all right."

New line coach Joe Gilbert has fit in well, Zook said.

"We knew he would," Zook said. "The guys have kind of taken to him." 

-- Nobody was more excited about former Saints coach Jim Haslett's visit to the Illinois practice than starting center Eric Block.

Block's family has had Saints season tickets for years. After meeting Haslett on Tuesday, Block called his dad Roy.

"He was all pumped about it," Block said. "I think I've been to the majority of the Saints games since I was 2. Coach Haslett won the Saints' first playoff game. He's awesome."

Block is back for his fifth season after being granted an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA.

"After you've been around for a while, it wears on people," Block said. "But the way I came about doing it, it's been a gift. I'm excited about it."

TODAY'S QUOTES
-- "The game has slowed down a lot more for me. When I first came here, everything was so fast. I'm getting all my assignment checks, getting everything," offensive lineman Jeff Allen, who is in his second spring session after enrolling in school a semester early.

-- "We're trying to find the right combination there. Ian (Thomas) at times does some really good things. Then, sometimes, he'll have a short out there. That's part of experience. We're going to be OK there. The experience is something you have to gain. Martez (Wilson) is the only one who has played a lot," Ron Zook on the Illinois linebackers.

-- "You've got to remember, Juice (Williams) is going into his fourth year in this offense. He's got a good understanding of it and he's at the point where he doesn't have to go relearn something. He knows it. He's maintained it. He's repped it. It's second nature to him. Now, he gets to build on that and keep himself improving. He wants to learn. He can make himself faster, more efficient. His anticipation is better. His accuracy and his efficiency goes up when he sees the speed of the game slow down," Illinois quarterbacks coach Kurt Beathard.