Ask Asmussen about his interview with Koenning here

He's looked at one game from 2009 and liked what he saw. But don't think a few highlights from Illinois' win against Minnesota are going to influence new defensive coordinator Vic Koenning about his 2010 starters.

Those decisions will be made later. Much later. After winter conditioning. After spring practices. Maybe even after Camp Rantoul.

"I think you can get caught up sometimes and make evaluations that aren't as fair to the kids," Koenning said. "You want them to all have clean slates and get going with that."

So, the former starters will have an advantage only if they show it to Koenning on the field. And in the meeting rooms. And in the classroom.

Koenning, who was hired Dec. 18 after one year at Kansas State, is slowly getting to know his players. And they are getting to know him.

"I was making a joke with a guy today, 'For some of us, playing football is like being on the interstate, dodging cars,' " Koenning said. "Some of these players, these jokers are big and fast. You've got to have a little bit of courage to be a football player. Until you see those guys out there in the line of fire and gauge your courage, you're just making assessments based on work habits, their look, their demeanor. There is enough of that to improve on that our plate is pretty full."

Koenning is trying to get his guys ready. He just won't know for sure that it is working until Sept. 4 against Missouri in St. Louis.

The styles and schemes of the Illinois defense will be different than in 2009. Except when they are the same. Koenning is pulling pieces from his different coaching stops "because it matches the players that we have."

One word you'll hear a lot related to Koenning's defense is "bandit." The position is part linebacker, part defensive end.

Why is the Bandit such a big deal? Partly because it was the position played at Troy by DeMarcus Ware, who just signed a $79 million contract extension with Dallas.

"He's a mythical character," Koenning said about the Bandit. "No. The guys who have played that position have made a lot of money at the next level, so it becomes one of those deals where, 'I'd like to become that.' "

Koenning's Bandit originated when he coached at Wyoming.

"Being the Wild West out there, it's a lot easier to use some of those terms," Koenning said. "I used to make a joke with those guys, 'He's the guy who goes around and steals the hopes and dreams of the opponents.' "

How the Bandit is used at Illinois – and who will play the position – hasn't been determined. Koenning would like most of that information to be a surprise for the 2010 Illini opponents.

"You have to be a conformist a little bit to the abilities of the players," Koenning said. "That's what we're trying to do."

When he talks about defensive philosophy, Koenning doesn't get caught up in schemes and playbooks.

"There's as many ways of doing it as there are ants in Africa," Koenning said. "There's a lot of them. Whatever works is the best thing to do. If it's not working, then you need to find something that works.

"The philosophy of how you treat people is the most important thing. You just try to treat people like you would want your sons to be treated."

Koenning said he shares his "philosophy of how you treat people" with his new boss, Ron Zook.

Would Koenning's former charges call him a "player's coach?" Some would, some wouldn't. Some figure out years later that his message was the right one.

Many of his ex-players have become high school and college coaches. Koenning will help them whenever he can.

"There's an unbelievable amount of them, and they all try to keep in touch," Koenning said. "I hope that my sons have coaches they can look up to."

One of the coaches Koenning looked up to was Gary Darnell, who was his defensive coordinator at Kansas State in the late 1970s and 1980s.

The Wildcats linebacker must have listened, being named captain on Kansas State's first bowl team.

"I've been so blessed," Koenning said.

Koenning's good fortune has continued at Illinois. When Curt Mallory left to become defensive coordinator at Akron, it created a hole on the defensive staff. One that's been filled by Ron West, who worked with Koenning at Clemson. West is Illinois' outside linebackers coach and a sounding board for Koenning.

Having West on the staff is a big help to Koenning.

"Colossal. Huge," Koenning said. "And not just a comfort zone. He and I, in the two weeks here, we have heated discussions about the ways about doing something, in a way that brothers would. That is fantastic. Nobody wants yes men. The old saying, 'Steel sharpens steel.' We want to punch holes in everything now. The trust factor is there."

Defensive line coach Keith Gilmore and inside linebackers coach Dan Disch have knowledge of the returning players. The defensive staff is working well together, Koenning said.

Gilmore and Disch can help to fill in Koenning about the Big Ten. He is in his first year in the league, though he has coached against Ohio State, Michigan and others.

"It's a great honor to be in this conference," Koenning said. "It's going to be fun to go in some of these stadiums. All of that's pretty cool. As a football-type histories that's fun."

Koenning has made himself at home in East Central Illinois. The family has moved into a house on the outskirts of Monticello.

"There were about 15 to 20 deer in the yard yesterday," Koenning said.

During the 2009 season, his family lived in separate states. Koenning was in his college hometown, while his wife, Tracey, and sons Brady, Camden and Jackson stayed in Orange Beach, Ala.

Koenning has worked at six schools during his coaching career, the longest stays a pair of six-year stints at Memphis and Wyoming. He would like to hunker down for longer, get the kids ages 13, 9 and 8 through Monticello High School. At least.

"I'd love nothing more than for my kids to stay put," Koenning said.

Working them in

Linebacker Martez Wilson and cornerback Miami Thomas, coming off injuries, will be very limited during the spring, Koenning said.

Defensive back Tommie Hopkins continues to recover from a gunshot wound suffered during his senior year of high school.

Illinois didn't sign a cornerback in the recent class in part because of the confidence the coaches have in Thomas, Hopkins, Tavon Wilson and Hawthorne.

Koenning isn't ready to share the position plans for Hawthorne, who came to Illinois as a receiver but was a standout cornerback his freshman season.

"I'm not saying anything," Koenning said. "Terry's going to be a big part of our game plan. We need to keep him healthy."

Staying put

With six new assistants on the staff, the Illinois football team won't spend a spring Saturday in the Chicago area.

The trips to Chicago have been held a week before the spring game and have been valuable in recruiting. They have also been popular with the Chicago-area Illinois fans, who can take in a practice without having to drive two-plus hours to Champaign.

Chicago St. Rita, Lemont and Oak Park-River Forest graciously hosted the Illini the past three springs. After last year's workout at Oak Park Stadium, Zook wouldn't commit to another trip.

The team has 15 days to practice during the spring. Zook and his staff didn't want to spend one of those days on the trip to Chicago.

The team can reconsider the Chicago-area scrimmages in 2011. That decision will be made later.

New gigs

Former Illinois offensive coordinator Mike Schultz is taking the same job at Middle Tennessee.

Schultz, who spent the 2009 season at Illinois, was fired and replaced by Paul Petrino. He joins Rick Stockstill's staff at Middle Tennessee, which is coming off a New Orleans Bowl win against Southern Miss.

The Blue Raiders open the 2010 season at home against Minnesota.

Ex-Illinois receivers coach Jim Pry is the new offensive coordinator at Dartmouth. He joins the staff of former Illini assistant Buddy Teevens, who is in his second stint with the Big Green.

In Teevens' first run at Dartmouth, he went 26-22-2, earning the chance to run Tulane's program. The second time around at Dartmouth hasn't gone as well for Teevens, who is 9-41 since 2005.

Panther path

Eastern Illinois won't wait long for a test during the 2010 season. The Panthers, fresh off a playoff appearance in 2009, open at Iowa. The Hawkeyes finished 11-2 and beat Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.

Bob Spoo's team is playing a BCS bowl team for the third consecutive year. The Panthers played Illinois after the Illini were in the 2008 Rose Bowl and visited Penn State after the Nittany Lions were in the 2009 Rose Bowl.

Eastern Illinois opens its home season Sept. 11 against Central Arkansas. The other nonconference game is the Prairie State Rivalry matchup Nov. 13 at Illinois State.

The Panthers begin defense of their Ohio Valley Conference title with a Sept. 18 game at Tennessee-Martin. Eastern Illinois hosts league rivals Jacksonville State (Sept. 25), Southeast Missouri (Oct. 2), Murray State (Oct. 23) and Austin Peay (Oct. 30).

Honored guests

The Illinois High School Football Coaches Association is holding its annual spring clinic and Hall of Fame inductions April 8-10 in Champaign.

Hall of Famers in this year's class include Sullivan/Bement's Jerry Lane, Downers Grove South's John Belskis, Naperville Central's Joe Bunge and Naperville North's Larry McKeon. Belskis coached current Illini quarterback Chandler Whitmer.

Bob Asmussen covers college football for The News-Gazette. You can reach him at 217-351-5233 or at asmussen@news-gazette.com.