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Each Sunday during the offseason, beat writer Bob Asmussen will take you around the world of college football.

This week, a look at Saturday’s Nike Training Camp in C-U.

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Before the Nike Football Training Camp had even started, it had been a good weekend for Chandler Whitmer. And it got better.

The Downers Grove South quarterback, who has made a commitment to Illinois, visited Friday night with Illinois senior Juice Williams.

"We had a good talk," Whitmer said. "We were just talking about life and how it is being the Illini quarterback. That felt good just to really hear what it's like from the quarterback standpoint and just learn from him. We're going to keep our relationship up.

"He's been in my ear about staying focused and working hard."

After Saturday's event, Whitmer was named the camp's outstanding quarterback.

"It was awesome," Whitmer said. "Walking away with MVP felt good. All of the hard work I've put in this offseason paid off here."

Now, Whitmer will get a little break from football. He is going to the Atlanta area for a week to visit with friends and family. After that, he will rejoin his Downers Grove South teammates for summer workouts.

"We're going to start getting at it," Whitmer said.

Whitmer wore Illinois shorts during the Nike camp. Before, during and after the competition, he was "recruiting" Illini prospects Kyle Prater and Corey Cooper.

"I was trying to talk to everybody, whoever's interested, and show them we're going to be good and that this is an awesome place," Whitmer said.

Whitmer and superstar receiver Prater teamed up frequently during the camp. Whitmer plans to promote Illinois to Prater "in a nice way."

"He's just got to make the decision," Whitmer said. "I'm going to just stay being friends with him and we'll just keep working out."

Whitmer will enroll at Illinois in January and spend the first semester in a dorm.

"If I can get Coop and Prater to come with me, we can get an apartment," Whitmer said. "We were just brainstorming a little bit."

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At each Nike stop, the host school is allowed to have one current player work the camp. On Saturday, that player was Williams.

"It's a lot of fun," Williams said. "Me giving back is a top priority. It's something I feel I need to do. It's part of my duty being a quarterback."

As a high school player, Williams attended several camps. And he has helped as an instructor in college.

Illinois benefits from having the players on campus, Williams said.

"Any time you can get on a Big Ten college campus, you get a better feel for what the university is like," Williams said. "Wherever the Nike camp is, they get a great feel for that university. That's always productive for whatever institution they're at."

The Illinois football facilities have changed plenty since his recruiting days. There are luxury suites, a new north end zone seating area and a fancy weight room.

"I would have probably committed earlier than I did," Williams said. "It's a beautiful place. I don't think you should commit based on facilities, but it does have a role."

Williams said he is excited about his final summer with the Illinois football team.

"Everything's good," Williams said. "I'm healthy, running well. I really feel like this year is the year. I'm not trying to make any predictions, but the mentality of the team is just far better than what it's been in the past. Even moreso than the Rose Bowl year. I don't think we've been together like we are right now. That's a great start toward what we are trying to do."

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Proviso West's Prater picked up the top receiver award during Saturday's camp. No surprise, given that almost every school in the country has made him a recruiting target.

Prater enjoyed the trip south. His parents and sister were in the stands, with his dad filming the workout and Prater's interviews.

"I just came down to have fun and compete," Prater said. "We just tested each other."

Prater hopes to attend another camp later in the summer. He also is taking courses so he can graduate early. He plans to enroll in college in January.

Illinois is among Prater's final 10. He will announce his choice during the U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio.

* * *

Proviso East defensive back Corey Cooper, who has made a commitment to Illinois, said he enjoyed Saturday's workout.

"It was competitive," Cooper said. "I enjoyed competing against some other good players. I had a good time."

Saturday's camp gave Cooper a chance to measure himself against the best in the region, including Prater.

"I just want to prove that I deserve the attention I'm getting," Cooper said. "The person I see and compete against every day is Kyle, so it's nothing new. I see the best every day."

Though he has made a commitment to the Illini, Cooper hasn't closed off recruiting.

"I'm still leaving it cracked open," Cooper said.

Among the other schools he is listening to include Tennessee, Notre Dame, Missouri and Arizona State.

After Saturday's camp, Cooper planned to look around the Illinois football facility and visit with some of the Illini.

* * *

Zach Fulton has been a frequent visitor to the Illinois campus since big brother Xavier played football at Illinois. The 6-foot-5, 306-pounder took another trip to Champaign on Saturday for the Nike camp.

"How many times (have I been to Illinois)? Man, like thousands," Fulton said. "My brother (Xavier) has been down here for five years, so a lot."

Fulton was named the offensive line MVP at the camp. He was also named MVP at a recent Tennessee lineman camp. Fulton now has offers from Illinois, Tennessee, Indiana and Minnesota.

"I'm just trying to keep my options open and evaluate some other schools," Fulton said. "I'll be looking to make a choice by the end of the month or by July."

* * *

Meiko Locksley participated at the Nike camp, traveling all the way from New Mexico where his father and former Illini offensive coordinator Mike Locksley took the head coaching job. The younger Locksley took the chance to visit with his Champaign friends and rivals.

"I was glad I got to hang with my friends from both schools (Centennial and Central). Me and Central usually don't get along, but I was hanging out with (Central senior) Denzel (Stewart)," Locksley said.

Locksley, a 6-foot dual-threat quarterback, has seen his recruiting interest pick up recently. He holds offers from New Mexico and New Mexico State. The former Centennial quarterback also has strong interest from Maryland and Oregon.

Stewart, a running back, has an offer from Illinois State and interest from others.

* * *

On Saturday, the Nike football camp made its first stop in Champaign-Urbana in eight years. That meant 205 of the top players in the Midwest, and beyond, running, throwing and catching on the Memorial Stadium turf.

"The facility here has improved 200 percent since the last time we were here," said Brian Stumpf, director for ESPN Rise. "It's pretty centrally located. Nike picks the sites and they rotate us around. There are 80 schools at the Division I level that are Nike schools, so they try to keep those schools happy. It's a great facility."

The average Nike camp draws about 225 to 230 players, with a cap of 250. Saturday's attendance was down a bit because of one-day camps at Northwestern and Iowa. Not that Stumpf was complaining.

"The turnout here was terrific," Stumpf said. "A lot of great, top-end talent. A great quarterback group. Outstanding defensive linemen. A lot of the best prospects from the region came out."

The Nike camps are free to the participants. The players receive T-shirts and a goodie bag.

The coaches working the camp are paid in gear: shoes, shirts and hats. They will evaluate the top players at the camp and post the information.

* * *

East St. Louis coach Darren Sunkett worked Saturday's camp. And he brought a bunch of Flyers with him. Nine East St. Louis players attended the camp.

"It's a pretty nice deal," Sunkett said. "It gives our kids a lot of exposure. When there's something like this in your back yard, you really can't beat it."

The price (free) is right for the players.

"It's just a great opportunity for the kids," Sunkett said.

Sunkett hopes to be back at Memorial Stadium in late November to defend the school's state title.

"That's the plan," Sunkett said.

* * *

Champaign Central's Dave Jacobs was one of the coaches working the camp. He got a call from ESPN Rise on Thursday, looking to see if he and members of his staff were interested in helping. Jacobs didn't hesitate.

"This is all fun," Jacobs said. "I get around some of the top talent in the Midwest and coach some ball.

"They do a great job with the speed training. You don't see that a lot. Every coach at every drill did a nice job."

Jacobs was impressed by Illinois recruit Whitmer.

"He's a stud," Jacobs said. "I think he's very coachable. He's athletic. I think he's going to fit in well."