CHAMPAIGN – Five years later, Jason Verduzco the coach realizes something about Jason Verduzco the player: He was a pain.

Three seasons as a Hamilton (N.Y.) College assistant has taught the former Illini quarterback plenty about himself. He knows now why the Illinois coaches weren't always smiling when he walked into the room.

Columbus, Ohio, replaces C-U as the place to be during the National Football League draft.

A year ago, with two Illinois players picked among the first three, local interest in the draft was high. Not this year.

CHAMPAIGN – Apparently, Marquis Mosely didn’t want that extra season of football after all.

Two years ago, the University of Illinois receiver petitioned the Big Ten and NCAA for a medical redshirt. When the redshirt was granted, Mosely added the 1997 season to his eligibility.

In Big Ten men’s basketball terms, Illinois has had a relatively peaceful spring.

A Tennessee-Chattanooga fish tale and a Bryant Notree flare-up were the only events that called for sirens to be sounded. And neither incident wound up making much noise.

   CHAMPAIGN  Trevor Starghill and James Williams can forget about relaxing on Saturday afternoons. Those days are gone for the two Illinois cornerbacks.

   For three seasons, they stayed back in their zones, watched the receivers and reacted.

CHAMPAIGN – Once again, Dennis Stallings finds himself

with some huge cleats to fill.

First, he tried to follow Dana Howard and Kevin Hardy to become

Illinois' third consecutive Butkus Award winner. A 2-9 season ended the

inside linebacker's bid early.

   CHAMPAIGN  Going into spring practice, new Illinois football coach Ron Turner said he wanted to pick a starting quarterback in a hurry. Apparently, he has found his guy.

   Ivan Benson''s report card shows three B''s after three semesters (plus summer) in the College of Communications.

   Not bad for a Fighting Illini football player, but read on.