CHAMPAIGN, Ill. _ Forget everyone in the Memorial Stadium crowd of 48,644 wearing orange T-shirts with "LOVIE" on the front and all the billboards around town displaying one of the most recognizable football faces in the state.
Ignore the I Block showing up 5,000 strong before kickoff to fill every seat in the student section and the fresh coat of paint applied at Kam's, the popular campus bar that spruced up and opened at 8 a.m. Saturday for the big occasion.
Overlook the spike in season tickets by 2,200 since Illinois hired coach Lovie Smith in March, the excitement palpable when Smith spoke to 7,000 incoming freshman students last week and the unfamiliar sight of ESPN's "SportsCenter" doing a live report on Illinois football from the Red Grange statue during preseason.
The most encouraging sign of the Illinois football culture change Smith hopes to create came on the second play of Saturday's 52-3 rout of FCS pushover Murray State. Strong safety Julian Hylton, the type of explosive athlete Smith favors for his defense, intercepted a pass _ one of three turnovers the Illini defense forced. Takeaways are to Lovie Ball what music is to church; it's just not the same without any.
"That set the tone," Smith said of Hylton's pick.
Turnovers always have been tone-setters in the mind of the former Bears and Buccaneers coach. It took Smith three sentences postgame to remind everybody that teams that win the turnover ratio typically win the game too. On the wall of the Illini meeting room's entrance hung a sign that made the philosophy clear. The words Strip, Punch, Yank and Takeaways surround a football on a spring. Every player must pat the ball on the way to his seat, reinforcing the same message Smith invited former Bear Charles Tillman _ who patented "The Peanut Punch" _ to deliver last month.
"It's critical _ it's the winning edge," Smith said of forcing turnovers, sounding familiar. "A lot of people talk about it. We believe it."
Based on early impressions, Illinois players believe anything Smith tells them. When Smith inherited what he called "a heavy team," he ordered players to cut weight. Quarterback Wes Lunt cited the example of running back Kendrick Foster, who scored on two 56-yard touchdown runs after reducing his body fat to less than 10 percent. Not everyone embraced the idea at first but, gradually, the Illini swore by the Smith diet.
"We accepted it as a challenge," offensive guard Jordan Fagan said. "From the first day he said he was going to treat us like adults."
Player response has been mature too. The Illini only experienced one training camp fight after Smith strongly disapproved, a far cry from the Tim Beckman Era. More than one player remarked how much they appreciated Smith making a point without raising his voice. And when the number of injured Illini players piled up, Smith gave them the day off, NFL-style.
"It's already to the point where you don't want to let him down," Fagan said.
Nearly four years have passed since the Bears fired Smith after he went 10-6. Do you realize how thrilled the Bears would be for a 10-win season now? They have gone 19-29 since, making his tenure seem like the halcyon days in comparison. Those nine seasons were the furthest thing from Smith's mind as he hugged his wife, MaryAnne, his sons and all the grandchildren who showed up to celebrate Smith's return to college football.
"It's a good day for the Smith family, to say the least," Smith said.
Only the Illinois football family enjoyed the day more.
You can't tell much when a Big Ten team plays an inferior opponent like Murray State. But you can detect signs of progress and professionalism, and both were evident in an Illini team that looked committed to playing hard for its new coach.
Defensively, Illinois runs to the ball _ and runs fast like the smaller, sleeker unit Smith prefers. They tackle well. They attack the football. They keep it simple, a Cover-2 staple. Offensively, the Illini primarily do the same, focusing on execution over any elaborate schemes. They get off the orange-and-blue bus running, setting up the play-action passing game for Lunt. They need their quarterback to stay healthy as badly as any team in the Big Ten, putting pressure on an offensive line that can build off a solid debut.
The Illini amassed 515 yards and scored more points than any team Smith ever coached in what amounted to an NFL exhibition game for Illinois.
"It's a good start but that's about all it is," Smith said.
True, but the wistful expression on Smith's face as the Illinois band played the alma mater postgame suggested otherwise. Smith locked arms with Illini players Bobby Walker and Joe Spencer, the first time in 21 years he had partaken in the sappy college tradition as a coach. The pregame pageantry also struck a chord with Smith, who remarked to a school official how emotional he felt leading the "Illini Walk" through Grange Grove.
"I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night," Smith admitted.
Illinois fans can rest easier knowing their program is in capable hands.
