WHAT HAPPENED
The Saturday morning practice started in the rain. By the time the Illini were done with the scrimmage part of the workout, the sun was shining. ... Of course, most discussions about the Illinois football team in the spring will start with the quarterbacks. Nathan Scheelhaase seemed to have the best day, gaining chunks of yardage with his arm and his feet. “I feel like I’m throwing well,” Scheelhaase said. “I’m learning a lot from Coach (Jeff) Brohm and what he’s been teaching me as far as just little things here and there with a foot or a shoulder.” Scheelhaase was the first quarterback on the field. But the coaches and the player said don’t read anything into it. “I think I made some plays this week and got to go out there and do my best. That’s what I’m trying to do each and every day,” Scheelhaase said. Illinois offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said all three quarterbacks had their moments Saturday. Good and bad. “I thought Nathan did some nice things when he was running around, making plays,” Petrino said. “That’s going to be part of his deal. I thought Chandler (Whitmer) had one nice drive where he went chunk, chunk, chunk right down the field.” ... Whitmer didn’t have a perfect day. One of his passes was intercepted by Terry Hawthorne and returned 40 yards for a touchdown. “The very next drive, he hit four or five passes and looked pretty sharp,” Petrino said. ... Running back Justin Green had to be helped off the field with a leg injury. “It could be a possible high ankle sprain,” Illinois coach Ron Zook said. “We’ll have to wait and look at it.” ... Fullback/tight end Zach Becker had one of the long gains of the day, going 50 yards on a catch.

WHAT WAS SAID
“They’re not in the NFL. In college football, when you celebrate individually, you tend to get a flag. That’s part of it. And part of it, those guys on the other side are our teammates. We don’t need to get up and do all that stuff. One time, it was a two-minute drill. Well, you’ve over there celebrating and they’re lined up, ready to go. That’s not real smart. That’s part of the learning curve. College football is supposed to be wholesome and not have all of that celebration stuff. We’re not going to do that. That shows no class. I know Coach Zook doesn’t want it and I know the people of Illinois don’t want it and I guarantee you that I know I don’t want it. We’re not going to do it.” — Illinois defensive coordinator Vic Koenning on chastising his players who were celebrating on the field. 

WHAT I’M THINKING
It’s cool to be the Bandit. That’s the position introduced by Koenning, who had success with it at Troy and Clemson. The first-string Bandit is Michael Buchanan, who played end as a freshman. Bandit is a cross between linebacker and end. The former Homewood-Flossmoor star, who had a couple of sacks early in Saturday’s scrimmage, likes the position. “It gives me an opportunity to run around a lot more, playing in more space, which I like to do,” Buchanan said.