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Next time he's asked to do an interview, Jack Cornell will jump right to it.

He has been on the other side of the curtain. And appreciates the work being done.

The Illinois starting guard is spending the summer as an intern in the school's sports information office.

"This is a job where you get to see a lot of inner workings of the media and the sports information department," Cornell said.

"It's really fun. The atmosphere here is incredibly relaxed. It's a lot more relaxed than my other office across the field. Dealing with people on a daily basis is something that I really want to do."

He's writing a weekly blog, scanning photos and doing some archiving.

"I've scanned a number of photos of Red Grange," Cornell said. "That was pretty cool. I had to be very delicate with those. They are pretty old pictures."

Cornell didn't have to go to work. With his communications degree in hand and plenty of workouts scheduled with his teammates, he could have spent part of his days by the pool or playing video games.

Instead, he reports at about 9 a.m. to the Bielfeldt Building, just after completing morning workouts. He stays until midafternoon and has been working 20-hour weeks.

With a summer free of classes for the first time, Cornell listened to a suggestion that he find an internship. It will build his resume for life after football.

Last week, he helped as the headshots were taken of the Illinois football players. Normally, Cornell would have been in and out in minutes. This time, he stayed all day, not forgetting to take his turn in front of the camera.

"I was texting players to come," Cornell said.

Growing up in Quincy and during his time at Illinois, Cornell spent his summers on football. He would attend camps and participate in endless workouts. There was never any time for a job. Football was his job.

"This is the first job I've had that is not football related," Cornell said. "It's pretty cool. It's totally different from every summer I've had my entire life."

Had he not redshirted in 2007, Cornell wouldn't even be here. When he first signed with Illinois, Cornell wanted to play as a freshman. But sitting out has worked well for him on the field and off.

"I see how good we can be and how hard the team is working," Cornell said. "I'm thankful I had the opportunity to redshirt, not only for school purposes but for development purposes. It made me a lot better player in the long run."

Cornell started half of the games in 2010 and is considered a key for the line in 2011. He'll work next to a newcomer at tackle, redshirt freshman Michael Heitz or Simon Cvijanovic, while Corey Lewis recovers from knee surgery.

Coming off a 7-6 finish and the first bowl win at Illinois since 1999, Cornell is optimistic about 2011.

"It's exciting," Cornell said. "Everybody on the whole team feels the same way. Everybody is really confident right now. Everybody has got the right attitude to do some special things."

Having Nathan Scheelhaase back for his second season as a starter adds to the team's confidence.

"He's a tremendous leader," Cornell said. "That's the first thing that comes in my mind when I think about Nathan Scheelhaase.

"There's nobody on the team who is coached harder than him. The coaches are constantly on him, demanding perfection. And he's not intimidated by that. We see him taking that, and it makes us want to play harder for him. We want to do everything we can for him to be successful."

In 2010, Cornell and his lineman pals paved the way for Mikel Leshoure's record season. Leshoure ran for 330 yards against Northwestern at Wrigley Field, something Cornell will one day tell his grandkids about.

"It was just an incredible opportunity to be a part of that," Cornell said.

***

Jadeveon Clowney was considered the nation's top 2011 recruit. After picking South Carolina, his legend continues to grow.

There's a fun website devoted to the future star, called clowneyfacts.com. All sorts of gems on the page, including the following:

"Most life insurance companies base their rates on how far away you live from Jadeveon Clowney."

"When life gives Jadeveon Clowney lemons ... he makes grape juice."

"Do you know what time it is when Jadaveon Clowney knocks on your door? It's too late."

"The Flintstones give their children Clowney vitamins."

OK, maybe they aren't all that great. But it shows you what can happen to the reputation of a college football recruit. The sport is starting to close on basketball for hype. Though football never will rival basketball for its early commitments. You won't see an eighth-grade quarterback tell everybody he is going to Southern Cal or Notre Dame.

***

For seven home games in 2010, Penn State averaged 104,234 fans per game. That ranked third in the nation in attendance behind No. 1 Michigan (111,825) and No. 2 Ohio State (105,278).

Official capacity at Penn State is listed at 106,572, meaning there are a few thousand season tickets available. But it's going to cost you.

Tickets for the seven home games will cost you $385 ($448 for chairbacks in the blue zone). That's $55 per game.

But you aren't done paying after you buy your seats. For the blue zone tickets (located beyond the goal lines), you will have to donate $100 per ticket. For the red zone seats (located between the goal lines and the 20s), you have to donate $400 per ticket. And it's a $600 donation for the black zone (roughly between the 20s).

A family of four, willing to splurge on the good seats, will pay $3,940 for the 2011 season. Parking isn't included.

At least the hotels in State College won't gouge you during your weekend visit. Oh, never mind.

***

Kohl's Professional Camps (kohlskicking.com) will hold a one-day camp July 12 at East Peoria High. The camp is for all kickers, punters and long snappers. Current Illini long snapper Zak Pedersen attended the camps during his prep playing days. So did Nebraska long snapper P.J. Mangieri, a Dunlap native.

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

The dirt on the dozen

Russell Wilson's decision to play his final season at Wisconsin causes a reshuffling of the Big Ten's best quarterbacks in 2011. Where does Wilson fit on the list? A lot depends on how quickly he adapts to the offense and how quickly he is accepted by the Wisconsin players. Coach Bret Bielema has cautioned Badgers fans not to read too much into Wilson's move. And Wilson was quick to point out that he isn't the starter. Yet. Don't think he moved to be the backup. Knowing a whole lot can happen between now and September, here is Asmussen's ranking of the Big Ten's quarterbacks:

1. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State

The pick drew howls from the N-G sports department. What do they know? His passing is solid. He does a fine job moving an offense that does plenty of its work on the ground. And, most important, he won 11 games in 2010. And a share of the Big Ten championship. The Spartans got a raw deal when it came to bowl invitations. In hindsight, Ohio State should have been without Terrelle Pryor and pals and the Spartans should have played beatable Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl.

2. Denard Robinson, Michigan

Sure, the offense is new with first-year coach Brady Hoke. But you don't win at Ball State and San Diego State like Hoke did without being able to adapt to the talent on hand. And there isn't any question that Robinson is the most talented player on the team. He finished second in the nation in total offense and led the Big Ten in rushing. Robinson should improve his accuracy and cut down on his interceptions. There could be an early blip or two as Robinson learns the offense, but once settled in, he could have a monster season.

3. Dan Persa, Northwestern

He would be at the top of the list if not for a torn Achilles' tendon that kept him out of the last three games of 2010, all losses. Word is that Persa is well on the road to recovery and should be ready to go for the opener at Boston College. You know he is looking forward to the Big Ten opener against Illinois. Not at Wrigley Field. Besides ranking among the nation's top passers, Persa is also Northwestern's leading returning runner. He might have to cut back on that a bit to protect his leg.

4. Russell Wilson, Wisconsin

The former North Carolina State star is saying all the right things as he prepares for one season in the Big Ten. But the expectations are huge for a guy who put up big numbers in Raleigh. The Wisconsin coaches will want to make sure he understands the principle of ball security. Wilson struggled in two of North Carolina State's four losses in 2010, getting intercepted six times against Virginia Tech and East Carolina. That won't work in Madison.

5. Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois

Just a hunch the sophomore takes a huge leap in his passing numbers and continues to run like a tailback. No Illinois freshman quarterback has had as much success as Scheelhaase. Not only did he pass for 17 touchdowns against eight interceptions, he also won seven games, including a bowl. And he was at his best as a passer in the latter half of the season. His work ethic and leadership helps him prepare for his second season as a starter. He should leave Illinois as the school's career leader in total offense.

6. Taylor Martinez, Nebraska

Early in the 2010 season, the redshirt freshman was being billed as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Injuries and ineffectiveness ended the talk. Martinez had passing numbers similar to those of Scheelhaase. And he ran for 965 yards and 12 touchdowns. His leadership was questioned by some, but new offensive coordinator Tim Beck pointed out the unusual situation Martinez was thrown into. All signs point to a more positive experience for Martinez his second time around.

7. Rob Henry, Purdue

Illinois fans didn't get to see Henry, who suffered a nasty finger injury the previous game. A talented runner and improving passer, Henry likely will keep Miami transfer Robert Marve on the bench. But Purdue won't hesitate to turn to the backup if Henry's passes start missing the mark.

8. Matt McGloin, Penn State

The former walk-on took over for Rob Bolden during the 2010 season and had some nice moments. Until the Nittany Lions played in the Outback Bowl. McGloin had five interceptions against Florida after being picked off four times the rest of the season. Bolden's flirtation with a transfer means McGloin likely gets the call. But there are options.

9. Joe Bauserman, Ohio State

Illinois fans will tell you that if Bauserman had stayed on the Memorial Stadium field, their favorite team would have won on Oct. 2. Probably right. Terrelle Pryor returned to lead the Buckeyes to a win. But he's gone. Bauserman is the choice for now, but he could be displaced by freshman Braxton Miller. When it comes to the Buckeyes, our best advice is to stay tuned. You never know what disaster is waiting around the corner.

10. MarQueis Gray, Minnesota

He spent last season as a receiver, throwing eight passes and completing two. But new coach Jerry Kill might get a big season out of the talented junior. He just hasn't shown the ability to be a winning quarterback in the Big Ten.

11. James Vandenberg, Iowa

We'd like to see Tuscola's John Wienke get a shot. But it appears the Hawkeyes are going with Vandenberg, who completed 5 of 8 passes last season. Maybe he'll be the next Drew Tate.

12. Dusty Kiel,

Indiana

The bad news: The sophomore completed 4 of 17 passes last season, with two interceptions. The good news: His brother, superstar recruit Gunner, is considering following him to Bloomington.